Bethany Spain is a writer, youth leader, and advocate for social mobility, climate justice, and inclusive heritage. A first-generation university graduate, she is passionate about breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring young people from all backgrounds feel empowered to create change in their communities.   

As part of the Climate FORTH Young Leaders programme, Bethany has worked with young people across the Forth Valley to explore how local heritage connects to environmental justice. By co-designing workshops, she has helped young people, particularly those in rural or underserved areas, see themselves reflected in conversations about place, belonging, and climate resilience. 

Bethany also serves on the Sutton Trust Alumni Leadership Board, where she advocates for fair access to education and employment. She has contributed to outreach initiatives, advised on policy discussions, led sessions for first-year students on navigating university without financial or familial safety nets, and spoken publicly about class, identity, and opportunity. Her insights are rooted in her own experience balancing multiple jobs, seeking discretionary funding, and learning to advocate for herself while living with chronic illness. 

Beyond these roles, Bethany has volunteered extensively with YoungScot and The Young Women’s Movement, contributing to campaigns on gender equality, youth participation, and inclusive volunteering. Since 2019, she has been an active supporter of the YouthVIP programme, helping to make volunteering more accessible and representative. Her advocacy has opened doors to spaces not traditionally accessible to working-class young people, including speaking on a panel at the Young Women and Democracy Summit at the Scottish Parliament. 

Alongside her advocacy work, Bethany is a reflective writer whose pieces explore chronic illness, belonging, and access to nature and creative work. Her storytelling blends personal experience with a wider call for empathy and change, using words to make complex issues feel human and relatable. 

Quietly determined and deeply collaborative, her work embodies the belief that meaningful change begins with listening, inclusion, and creating space for others to be heard