Skip to main content

Break Barriers.
Build Confidence.
Belong.

Peer mentoring & education charity supporting disadvantaged and disabled young people and adults in Scotland affected by poor mental health.

Get Support Get Involved

What We Do

SQA Qualifications

Peer Mentoring & Peer Education awards delivered by people with lived experience.

Mentoring & Volunteering

Local placements in Scotland and (where suitable) international trainee mentor opportunities.

Healthy Lifestyles

Gym programmes, walking groups, cycling, nutrition workshops and wellbeing activities.

Who We Support

We walk alongside young people and adults across the Central Belt of Scotland who have been held back by long-term mental health challenges and by social or economic disadvantage.

Many of the people we support live with depression, anxiety, or more complex mental health conditions. They may have found it hard to stay in education or training, to get or keep a job, or simply to feel part of their community. Stigma, low confidence, and everyday barriers can make the world feel out of reach.

At Zone Out there is no judgement and no pressure – only genuine peer support from people who truly understand. Together we help each person rediscover their strengths, rebuild their confidence, and take meaningful steps toward the life they want to live.

Group of diverse young people smiling and supporting each other

Our Mission

At Zone Out, we believe that everyone deserves a chance to thrive—no matter what barriers they've faced. Since 2011, we've been advancing education, promoting active citizenship, and encouraging healthy lifestyles for disadvantaged and disabled young people and adults across Scotland's Central Belt.

As an approved SQA provider, we provide nationally recognised qualifications, practical mentoring, and volunteering opportunities. We reduce social exclusion by creating pathways to learning, confidence, and community engagement.

Our Charitable Purposes

  1. To advance education for disadvantaged and disabled young people and adults, particularly those experiencing social or economic exclusion and poor mental health, by operating as an approved SQA centre and providing tailored support to overcome barriers to learning.
  2. To promote citizenship and community development among disadvantaged and disabled individuals by reducing social exclusion through access to education, mentoring, and volunteering opportunities that foster confidence, skills, and community engagement.
  3. To provide recreational activities that encourage healthy lifestyles for disadvantaged and disabled young people and adults, including activities such as gym sessions, walking groups, and cycling groups, undertaken to improve physical and mental wellbeing.

Your Journey With Zone Out

A supportive path to confidence, skills and active citizenship

Getting Started

Referred by support services (mental health, recovery, social work, prison, homelessness) or self-refer → friendly welcome chat at the Learning Hub. No pressure, no judgement.

Building Confidence

Join relaxed wellbeing groups: coffee mornings, walking/cycling, creative workshops, healthy living sessions. Meet others who understand and start feeling connected again.

Gaining Skills

Move on to our accredited SQA courses in Peer Education & Mentoring. Small classes, peer-led elements, nationally recognised qualifications built at your own pace.

Giving Back

Volunteer as a trained peer mentor – locally in Scotland or (if you choose) on supported international placements with our partner STAND International.

Moving Forward

Leave with qualifications, stronger networks, real experience and a new story: you're now an active, equal citizen living your own version of recovery.

You set the pace. The door stays open.

Ready?

Contact us:
info@zoneoutpartnership.org
0141 343 7852
Drop in at the Learning Hub, Kirkintilloch, Glasgow

Get In Touch

Whether you're looking for support, want to refer someone, or would like to volunteer – we'd love to hear from you.

info@zoneoutpartnership.org

Zone Out Partnership • Scottish Charity SC043889
Central Belt of Scotland