Rural & Urban Training Scheme (RUTS) is a highly impactful charity helping young people overcome barriers, enhance skills, gain qualifications and achieve their potential. They do this through using themes of motorbikes, bicycles and general fitness to offer accredited vocational training, as well as bespoke employability and sector-specific courses. RUTS offers tailored personal development, recognising each young person’s individual needs, skills, strengths, ambitions and personalities.

When RUTS had to move premises, they found that that the YMCA/YWCA building in Penicuik was looking for an anchor tenant. Given the building was originally constructed as a leisure centre, the spaces were already there for the workshops RUTS required. What was missing was the motorbike access, and a social space tailored for RUTS’ service users.

Eala carried out an early stage feasibility study to understand how the building needed to be adapted to meet RUTS’ needs. Following approval of the scheme to proceed Eala gained planning and building warrant consents, tendered the works and oversaw them being carried out on site.

The interventions in the building are modest, but the impact arising from them are significant.