In this article Samar, our Heritage Research Coordinator, tells us about the Young Women Remember project so far, and why we are collecting stories about the 100 year history of our movement and the YWCA in Scotland.

Young Women Remember is a research project led by young women which seeks to uncover the real stories of our movement from its inception as YWCA Scotland over 100 years ago in 1924. This two-year project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and is co-produced with a steering group of 14 young women based all over Scotland. Since April 2024, we have made a lot of progress in discovering fascinating information about our history and the women who have contributed to building and sustaining our movement over the past century. By the end of the project, we will have curated written testimonies and images from our archives and newly filmed oral histories (recorded voices, personal accounts and memories) into a ‘living’ digital archive that will continue to grow with young women’s stories in the future.  

Looking to our history 

Women have historically been underrepresented and marginalised in the narratives of history and heritage in Scotland, and there is a real risk that these stories could be lost – unless we intervene early with projects such as Young Women Remember. It is vitally important to incorporate and celebrate women’s stories, voices, lives, contributions and perspectives when remembering Scotland’s rich history, ensuring their long-lasting representation in cultural heritage.  

Young women in Scotland today are facing huge challenges, such as the climate and cost of living crises. Highlighting unknown or ‘forgotten’ women’s stories and experiences in our organisational history can also embolden future generations of young women and inspire a more equitable future. By uncovering these stories, we will showcase personal examples of how collective action can make a positive difference in the world, inspiring the next generation of young women to learn from the past and have the confidence to address contemporary issues together in their own innovative ways. 

The story so far 

We have begun exploring the archives across Scotland that hold hundreds of boxes of our organisational history, including the National Library of Scotland, the National Records of Scotland, and The University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research Collections. These collections hold various materials, such as photographs, video, written documentation, and various objects of historical interest such as meeting minutes taken by our branch secretaries from 1902; trophies from local women’s sporting events that we hosted in the 1950s; newspaper clippings that mention our work as far back as 1918; flyers from the 1970s advertising our ‘nearly new’ second-hand markets and shops;  embroidery, handmade dolls, clothing and more.  

Our earlier organisation was global in outlook and outreach, with objects relating to our position as a member of the World YWCA; our collection hold slides from our work in the 1970s and 1980s in Kenya and Jordan as well as correspondence between Scottish women who carried out missionary work in Egypt and China in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. 

Led by young women from across Scotland 

The Young Women Remember Steering Group is made up of young women based all over Scotland from 16 to 30 years old. The Steering Group have skills and interests in history, politics and feminism, and are enthusiastic about effecting positive change for young women and girls across Scotland. Over the past 6 months, they have: