Action for Children to manage Elgin AYE bus project

Action for Children has been appointed to manage the Elgin Active Youth Engagement (AYE) Bus on behalf of a partnership between Stagecoach, Elgin Neighbourhood Board, Moray Council Community Safety, Police, and Moray Pathways Local Employability Partnership.

The AYE Bus, a double-decker mobile youth centre bus has been donated by Stagecoach and is part-funded through short-term capacity funding from the Elgin Neighbourhood Board (formerly Elgin Town Board) for an initial 12 months.

The initiative aims to provide early intervention and support for young people, contributing to safer public spaces within Elgin. Early Intervention Officers, experienced in working with young people, will be employed to coordinate the bus and its activities. The bus will offer a safe space with advice available, identify vulnerable young people, and ensure they are safeguarded.

Stagecoach has committed to refitting the bus based on engagement with young people and will provide ongoing maintenance to support its long-term success.

As part of their contract, Action for Children will also explore longer-term sustainability options to help secure the future of the service beyond the current funding period.

The AYE Bus is a key initiative highlighted in the Elgin Regeneration Plan, which is part of the UK Government's Plan for Neighbourhoods (formerly the Long-Term Plan for Towns). In September 2023, Elgin was selected to receive £20 million in endowment-style funding over 10 years, starting from 2026/27. As of March 2025, the UK Government rebranded the initiative as the Plan for Neighbourhoods. In line with this change the Elgin Neighbourhood Board will carrying out further community engagement over summer 2025 to help shape the revised Regeneration Plan.

A public launch event for the AYE Bus is scheduled for early July, with further details to follow.

Moray Council Leader, Cllr Kathleen Robertson, said: “The AYE Bus is a creative and proactive response to supporting young people in Elgin. It’s about meeting them where they are, offering a space they feel safe in, and ensuring they have the right support in place. I’m delighted to see Action for Children taking this forward on behalf of the partnership.”

Elgin Neighbourhood Board Chair, Jenny Urquhart, added: “This project reflects the kind of positive, community-led regeneration we want to see in Elgin. Young people have been at the heart of shaping the AYE Bus, and their voices will continue to be central as we move forward with the Regeneration Plan.”

Fiona Steel, National Director for Scotland at Action for Children, said: “We’re delighted to be leading this partnership as well as receiving such positive support to help make the AYE Bus project a reality. It’s a great example of using new innovative ways to engage with young people tailored to the local need which in this case is young people growing up in a rural area.  

“Throughout Action for Children we’re passionate about ensuring young people have the right support at the right time, and I’m really pleased when launched later this year the AYE Bus will be a practical solution to further this ambition.”

David Beaton, Managing Director for Stagecoach North Scotland, said: "We're incredibly proud to support the AYE Bus initiative, which showcases the strength of collaboration and the real difference that can be made when local organisations come together with a shared purpose.  By donating and refitting he bus, we're helping to create a safe, welcoming space for young people in Elgin, one that reflects their voices and meets their needs.  This project is about more than transport; it's about opportunity, connection, and investing in the future of our communities.  We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have across Moray."