Our story
Established in 1987 in Leith, Edinburgh, where we remain. We have nearly 40 yearsâ experience working with children and young people across Scotland. We are recognised nationally for the support we give to families, community groups and schools.
We continue to support children and young people to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.Â
We draw upon young peopleâs lived experiences and the latest research to ensure our work is relevant, current and authentic. We always have a peer-to-peer focus to improve Scottish young peoplesâ resilience to risk-taking behaviours.
1987
Fast Forward was established to help enable Scotlandâs young people to make better informed decisions. The need for such an organisation was first identified by The Scottish Association of Youth Clubs (now Youth Scotland)
1991
An independent development study concluded âNo other agency has the particular expertise and national remit which Fast Forward possesses.â In November 1991 we moved from being a project of Youth Clubs Scotland to a fully-fledged, independent voluntary organisation with early successes including the projects âBolt ya Radgeâ and âSpark it Upâ.
1996
Scottish Schools Drug survey published. Alarming statistics reinforced the need for the work Fast Forward had become renowned for.
2001
Fast Forward go online! We joined the internet revolution with our very first web site!
2005
In response to growing concerns about drink spiking, âSpikedâ was released for 16 - 24 year olds in Edinburgh clubs funded by Action on Alcohol & Drugs.
2010
SPEN (Scottish Peer Education Network) was established to promote and support peer education across Scotland.
2014
Fast Forward turned 21, with the team keen to explore gaps in support for young people and new funding streams. Working in partnership with NHS Lothian, gambling was identified as a risk taking behaviour that wasnât being addressed in Scotland.
2017
Our successful Going Forward Project was launched â replacing the Edinburgh Team and has gone on to work in partnership with organisations supporting vulnerable and at-risk young people.
2016
Our theatre and education programme was designed for Scottish young people to raise awareness and pose questions on a variety of risk-taking behaviours. Touring over 400 high schools, performing to over 79,000 young people. It drew upon the ideas, experiences and imaginations of young people, delivering high-quality, thought-provoking pieces of theatre, film and online games.
2017
Ask Dad was established, promoting the role of dads by empowering men to have a more active role in their childrenâs emotional wellbeing. Inspired by a theatre play, Being a Dad, produced with Fathers Network Scotland tapping into the growing acceptance that fathers and male carers were an often overlooked and under-used asset in the lives of their children.
2018
The Scottish Gambling Education Hub launched in partnership with GambleAware. Providing Scotland with its first ever gambling education and prevention programme. Focused on protecting young people from gambling harms, delivering training to practitioners, staff, schools and youth groups.
2020
SPEN, following a review and rebrand, evolved into PIPS. Bringing together a group of peer education charities and projects working with young people and families on all kinds of issues ranging from sexual health and online safety to substance misuse.
Today
Fast Forward remain as committed as ever to engaging with children, young people, parents and practitioners to ensure our work continues to respond to, and identify needs of, existing and emerging risk taking behaviours.