A Barrhead youth work group has been nominated for a national award.

Include Me 2 Club (IM2C) is a finalist in the National Youth Work Awards 2024, in the Team of the Year category, sponsored by the CLD Standards Council.

For 15 years, IM2C has been a crucial support source for individuals with additional needs, disabilities, and mental health conditions.

Reaching more than 1,200 members, its youth work, employability, and volunteering programmes make a significant societal contribution, delivering tailored services to break down barriers and foster inclusion.

The team’s commitment to bespoke solutions exemplifies their pro-active approach.

Successfully transitioning young people from school to further education, employment, and entrepreneurship, the achievements have secured more than 126 awards and accreditations in the past year.

In addition to service provision, IM2C empowers individuals and their families to lead fulfilling lives.

The charity's success in making inclusion a reality is demonstrated through the development of new clubs and engaging activities, where young people take the lead.

This emphasis on inclusion is reflected in their ventures, from Social Blend Coffee Shops and Bike Hub to the Ideas Academy.

One young member, who joined at 14 and now manages projects and sits on the board, said: "Include Me 2 Club is just phenomenal in their efforts and work to improve lives; I am living testament to that.

"It's been an amazing journey for me personally getting to experience the growth as a young person into leadership and empowering me through training, support but most importantly the opportunity and experience to try, to test and take risks as a leader."

Tim Frew, chief executive of YouthLink Scotland, said: "With the cost of living crisis intensifying and more young people encountering obstacles in education and employment, youth workers stand out as the true changemakers.

"Their invaluable contributions to the lives of countless young people deserve recognition, as they are the unsung heroes strengthening our communities."

Echoing these sentiments, Dr Marion Allison, director, CLD Standards Council, noted: "#youthworkchangeslives – we know this to be true and we know the impact and reach of youth work to be greater than we shout about.

"Youth work changes the lives of the young people who participate, but it also changes the lives of the workers and volunteers who are lucky enough to be trusted to join the young person on their change journey."

The awards ceremony will take place on June 12 in Glasgow, hosted by Celebrity Big Brother winner, John Loughton.