Logo of Qualifications Scotland with the text 'Qualifications Scotland Approved Centre' beneath it.

Edge Academy

Edge Academy is a specialist year-long programme designed for young adults who are ready for greater challenge, responsibility and independence, combining higher-level learning with employability, enterprise and transferable workplace skills in a real-world context.

Participants gain advanced Qualifications Scotland awards alongside personalised, real-world learning, delivered as specialist social care support with recognised, certified outcomes that strengthen confidence, capability and independence.

This is a 1-year programme taking place Monday to Thursday (30 hours per week over 4 days) for 48 weeks each year.

Next intake: July 2027 - Referrals Open

Edge Academy: Skills for Life, Learning & Work

  • Three men prepare food and cook together in a kitchen with various utensils, vegetables, and ingredients on the counter.

    Practical Cookery

  • People in wetsuits and life jackets practicing surfing or paddleboarding in the water near shoreline with hills and a cloudy sky in the background.

    Sport, Health & Wellbeing

  • People gathered outdoors at a music festival with a stage, a yellow canopy, and a stone building in the background, some people are sitting on benches and others are standing and talking.

    Employability: Workplace Preparation & Volunteering

  • A young man wearing a black jacket with a fur-lined hood pushing a wheelbarrow filled with fallen leaves in a wooded area during fall. In the background, a person wearing a blue jacket and pink hat is raking leaves. The scene is set among trees with yellow and orange leaves, and there are bags of yard waste and gardening tools along a brick wall.

    Leadership & Enterprise

Who is eligible for Edge Academy?

All Edge Academy participants must;

  • Be a young adult under the age of 35 years old

  • Have one or more of the following:

    • a learning disability

    • be autistic

    • other additional support needs (ASN)Be able to communicate verbally

  • Be self-ambulatory

  • Be willing to take part in outdoor activities

  • Be able to understand and follow safety instructions

  • Be able to attend to their own personal care and take their own medication

  • Have an appointed person who will communicate digitally with Edge Group Scotland’s Day Services Team

  • Be able to work in a group in a group environment

  • Be able to manage apps and communicate via mobile phone and iPad*

  • Involved in their own plan and want to plan their individual future

  • Be able to attend Edge HQ in Musselburgh Monday - Thursday

  • Be eligible for social care funding through their local social work department

*iPads supplied by Edge

Applications for Edge’s Academy Programme can ONLY be accepted via the referral form linked below

Next intakes: July 2026 - Full | July 2027 - Referrals Open

Make a referral to Edge's Academy Programme ➤

Accredited Pathways

We offer structured programmes where participants gain Qualifications Scotland-accredited qualifications as part of their individual journey to independence. As a Qualifications Scotland approved centre, our experienced practitioners deliver specialist social care support with recognised, certified outcomes, helping young adults build confidence, develop independence and gain meaningful real-world skills.

Logo of Qualifications Scotland with the text 'Qualifications Scotland Approved Centre' beneath it.
Find out More

Referrals made easy!

To find out more about our referral process and eligibility criteria, and how we can help individuals achieve positive destinations, select the button below.

Next intakes: July 2026 - Full | July 2027 - Referrals Open

Mobile phone screen displaying a service referral form titled 'Service Referral Form' with fields for name, relationship to young person, and phone number.
Service Referral & Eligibility

What we’ve been up to…

View fullsize 10 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄. As part of our 10th year celebrations, TeamEdge and programme participants are taking on our biggest challenge yet. On 10th and 11th Septemb
View fullsize 🚨 𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆. We're looking for full-time 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 to join our specialist day
View fullsize 🌱 Things are growing quickly in Edge Woods... and we're not just talking about the veggies! May was another busy month, with wildflower seeds, vegetables and herbs planted, seedlings thriving, a shed successfully relocated, and the completion of wh
View fullsize
View fullsize Kitchen round up time...🫑🍅 This week's kitchen challenge saw the groups put their skills to the test, creating a variety of healthy and delicious meals from a mystery bag of ingredients and a selection of store cupboard staples....Ready Steady Coo
View fullsize *Important* 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 - programme referral deadline is close of business tomorrow/29th May! 🚨 A reminder to all Social Workers, Learning Disability Teams, Teachers, Occupational Therapists, NHS professionals

Follow our journey on social media