The Young Leaders Network is a platform for young leaders aged 18-26 to be informed, share experiences, build skills and grow as leaders.

The network was launched in 2022 by the Young Leaders Group. This group is made up of young leaders from across the UK who are passionate about championing the views of young leaders and helping to develop and improve the support structure for those starting out in leadership roles within the BB.

The Network continues to be coordinated by the Young Leaders Group, ensuring that the work of the Network remains relevant to the needs of 18–26-year-old leaders as it evolves.

The Young Leaders Network has three main aims. These are:

To inform & support young leaders

• Using social media & termly emails to put relevant information into the hands of young leaders.
• A dedicated Young Leaders Facebook Group to share opportunities, encourage discussion and allow young leaders from across the country a chance to network and share.

To provide opportunities to young leaders

• Build skills appropriate for your role via training, gatherings and leadership opportunities.
• Share experiences and learn from others through gatherings, online forums, informal conversations, profiles and more.
• Leadership opportunities promoted and/or made available through the network, to help you to put your leadership skills into action and learn by doing.
• To Develop as young leaders, helping you to feel confident, empowered and valued as a young leader in The Boys’ Brigade

To amplify the voice of young leaders

• Raising the profile of Young Leaders and their experiences of their role(s), helping others to see the opportunities available to them and the value that young leaders give to the BB.
• Promoting decision making roles available on committees and groups within The Boys’ Brigade, including the under-26 positions on the Brigade executive and regional committees.
• Empowering young leaders to become ‘Comms Champions’ for the organisation and ambassadors for the work of the Brigade.

There are a number of ways for young leaders to get involved and start benefiting from the Network. Please note these opportunities are only available to registered BB leaders aged 18-26.

Elevate Weekend Course

We’re hosting an Elevate Development Course on the weekend of 31st January to 1st February 2026 and you’re invited to join us!

Our Elevate weekend is aimed at supporting young leaders (18-26) as they transition from a young person to a young leader. The weekend is designed to encourage you in your role, equip you with key skills and boost your confidence as you take on more responsibility in your Company.

The course uses a mix of interactive workshops, practical activities, discussions and challenges. Topics covered over the weekend include…

• The changing expectations of your new role
• Developing your leadership skills
• Building positive relationships with others
• Negotiating, influencing and finding your role in your Company
• Practical skills in planning and delivering programmes

The weekend takes place at the North West Training Centre, Kirkham, Lancashire from 10:30am on Saturday 31st January to 1pm on Sunday 1st February. Accommodation is available on the Friday evening where required. Spaces are just £35, including your accommodation and food.

To book your space at the weekend, click HERE. The deadline to guarantee a space is Friday 9th January 2026.

£200 Elevate Grants

Thanks to DCMS funding, all those attending the Elevate course will be able to apply for a grant of up to £200, which can be used at their Company to support them in taking on a leadership role. This could be by investing in equipment or resources for the group, to lead a new activity, game or challenge.

Young Leaders Weekend 2026

We’re pleased to announce that bookings are now open for our Young Leaders Weekend 2026. Now in it’s fourth year, we’re looking to make our 2026 weekend the best yet!

The weekend will take place from the evening of Friday 10th to Sunday 12th April 2026 at Carronvale House, Larbert, Scotland.

The aim of the weekend is to bring young leaders together, helping them to build connections, grow in confidence, share experiences, and add your voice into shaping the future of our organisation.

Alongside having the opportunity to participate in workshops and discussions, there will also be plenty of time for socialising, getting to know other young leaders, and taking on some great activities.

Arrivals will be from the Friday evening, with the programme of activities continuing until the Sunday lunchtime. The cost of the weekend is £85, with this including your meals and accommodation for the weekend. For more information, and to book your space, please click HERE.

‘Spotlight’ Programme Opportunity

Have you ever fancied writing your own BB themed programme, which gets used across the UK?

We’re looking for a small group of Young Leaders to help us to write two themed programme cards for the Summer 2026 term.

These cards will be written by young leaders, aimed at being delivered by hundreds of young leaders across the country. This will form part of a special ‘Spotlight’ week later in the session, aimed at shining the spotlight on some of our brilliant young leaders.

If you’d like to find out more about the Programme role and to register your interest in joining this working group of young leaders, then please email us at youngleaders@boys-brigade.org.uk. Please share a little bit about yourself and why you’d like to get involved with creating the programme.

Satellites Festival 2026

We’re looking for a small group of enthusiastic Young Leaders to form part of our team at Youthscape’s Satellites Event in August.

The 5-day event, attended by over 2,000 young people aged 11+, is focussed around helping young people to explore their faith and provides a range of activities including worship, workshops, sports, games, creative spaces and more.

The Boys’ Brigade will once again be hosting a venue at the festival and our team of volunteers will be offering a range of activities for young people to enjoy during the afternoon, including inflatables (bungee run, gladiator duel, etc) and some team-based challenges.

The event runs from the 6th to the 10th August at Bath & West Showground, England. Those volunteering would get a FREE ticket to the event, including food and accommodation (camping). As well as volunteering for a few hours a day, you would have plenty of time to join in other parts of the programme & to relax.

You can find out more about Satellites HERE. If you are interested, please get in touch with us via youngleaders@boys-brigade.org.uk

Young Leaders Survey – Coming Soon!

The Young Leader’s Network is nearly 5 years old and over that time we have supported young leaders in a number of ways. We’re proud of what has been achieved, but we believe there is still lots more to be done.

To help set the priorities for the network going forwards, and to make sure we’re supporting you in the ways that you need it most, we’ll shortly be launching a survey for young leaders to complete. This will be about hearing directly from you regarding what is important to you in your role and the ways in which you can be best supported.

The results from this survey will be crucial in setting the priorities for the Young Leaders Network going forwards. The survey will be launched in the coming weeks, so please keep an eye out for it and make sure to add your voice into shaping our future.

BB Build Mexico – Summer 2026

In July 2026, a group of BB young people and leaders are taking part in a 10 day life-changing mission trip to Mexico — building a home for a family trapped in poverty. We’re pleased to say that there are also some spaces for Young Leaders to get involved with this project too.

The project will involve building a house for a family living in poverty, as well as giving you the opportunity to experience Mexican culture, share in faith development and work as part of a team. After the project there will then be a couple of days sightseeing in LA, including a visit to Universal Studios, Hollywood.

Those wishing to get involved will need to pay a participant fee (£350), as well as raising additional fund through fundraising & grant applications throughout 2026.

For more information head to the BB Build Mexico page. The deadline to sign up is 31^st December 2025.

Young Leaders Facebook Group

Want to be the first to hear about opportunities specifically aimed at Young Leaders? Then make sure to join our Facebook Group.

We have a dedicated Facebook group for young leaders, providing you with a space to be informed and better equipped in your roles as leaders in the BB. The group is used to share new opportunities that are available for you, as well as sharing news on what young leaders have been getting up to across the UK.

If you are on Facebook and are not currently signed up, then head to our Young Leaders Facebook Group and click ‘Join’.