We have a dance teacher at Rossie, and we work with local dance charities Showcase the Street and Shaper Caper. The introduction of the Dance Studio has brought an array of opportunities for our young people. We were thrilled to be part of the opening of Dundee’s V&A, where our young people were part of the 3D Festival’s dance.

Through membership at Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce, we partnered with Carnoustie’s Fin and Co. Hair Salon who were interested in designing their next salon at Rossie. They continued to support and guide us through the whole process. Thanks Fin and Co!

Their special and unique ‘Sport in the Dark’ UV light sessions have come to Rossie, and our young people (and staff) love it! During sessions, UV clothing is clearly visible, while faces and bodies are not. Some of our young people may have low self-esteem, making it a challenge for them to feel confident to take part in sports. This amazing initiative helps break this barrier, enabling those who otherwise would feel they didn’t want to take part in sports, feel the benefits of playing the sport.

In return for these valuable sessions, our First Aid trainer provides members of Skilz Academy with First Aid training. What a fantastic partnership!

Groups of staff, young people and volunteers from Gillespie Macandrew have gotten their hands dirty to bring together this project. The young people’s involvement in this project means they are developing experience with nature and horticulture skills and Skills for Work.

A young person presented the idea of a sensory garden for the young people of Rossie. The purpose of this sensory garden is to provide our young people with a safe, “magical” environment where they can go to relax, reflect or just take their mind off of something. With receiving financial help from London’s Kew Gardens and the Co-op’s Scotmid, and voluntary help from law firm, Gillespie Macandrew, we are in the midst of this project, through all weathers!

We have developed New Beginnings Bags which are offered to all young people when they leave Rossie. This innovative project aims to create a “positive ending” and a sense of belonging to Rossie on after moving on. The bags, donated free of charge, contain materials such as mindful colouring books/coloured pencils, a water bottle, useful numbers, details of Rossie’s Facebook Page for support and many more. Our young people know they are always welcome to get in touch even after they have left us.

It also provides our young people another place they can go to feel safe, valued and knowledgeable. We apply models which encourage positive reading behaviour to inspire our young people to read, promoting emotional wellbeing as well as literacy skills.

In celebration of authors, illustrators, books and reading, our young people look forward to participating in the annual World Book Day.

This status has been offered to only 44 schools across the UK. Supported by Get Set and Scottish Cycling we have been successful in achieving registration to become a Level 1 Mountain Biking Centre School for Scotland. This award will help young people and staff become more active on bikes, and increase our use of the grounds for physical activities. This initiative will also help our young people in their development towards becoming effective leaders.

It’s a holistic form of education, where young people can apply knowledge from the classroom to working in a woodland and natural environment. Rossie provides opportunities to obtain Vocational Qualifications through our Skills for Work Programme, and the Forest School initiative has extended these opportunities to the outdoors.

Our young people can get involved in a variety of projects and activities including conducting flora and fauna surveys, foraging, wood-crafting, woodland management and games, art, fire safety and even music!

The goal of our Eco-School is to ensure that our staff and young people can live and work in a litter-free, clean and tidy environment by reducing environmental impact and enhancing and nurturing nature.

Our young people take part in various activities including tree planting, litter picking, and lessons about the horticulture and the importance of conservation. Our Garden Club, which was awarded by the Horticultural Society for our ‘All You Can Eat’ garden, is popular with our young people. They learn about growing their own produce, and the value and benefits of having a daily diet.