#003 - Diana Whitmore: Seeing Potential Before Young People See It Themselves

In this episode, we’re joined by Diana Whitmore, CoCEO of Growing2gether, for a powerful, hopeful conversation about young people, belief, and what happens when we stop trying to “fix” kids and start trusting them instead.Diana shares the story behind Growing2gether, an early-intervention programme that brings together two groups often labelled as “vulnerable”: disengaged young people and children with additional support needs. The result? Something quietly transformational.We talk about how mentoring younger children helps teenagers rediscover their own self-worth, why positive psychology and coaching sit at the heart of the programme, and what Diana has learned from over 40 years working in the third sector. She reflects on the influence of her lifelong mentor, Laura Huxley, the widow of Aldous Huxley, and how a belief in human potential became the foundation for everything that followed.This is a wide-ranging, deeply human conversation about education, mental health, community, resilience, and why every young person needs at least one adult who sees their potential before they do. We also explore funding challenges, working with schools across the Highlands, Moray and Aberdeen, and Diana’s hopes for how this work could shape Scotland’s future.At its heart, this episode is a reminder that belief is not a “soft” skill, but a catalyst for real change.Chapters:00:00 Introduction & welcome01:25 What is Growing2gether?03:00 Mentoring vulnerable children - why it works05:23 Diana’s journey into youth development07:40 Positive psychology & believing in young people10:28 Building trust, not fixing behaviour13:03 Leadership, third sector lessons & turning points15:33 Evidence, outcomes & positive destinations17:17 Coaching vs telling young people what to do19:06 Early champions & support in the Highlands22:20 Funding challenges & system change25:40 A day inside the Growing2gether programme29:25 Why mentoring younger children matters32:32 “All young people want to feel they matter”34:18 Training teachers & spreading the approach36:24 How schools and communities respond39:31 What young people have taught Diana42:03 Resilience, self-empathy & leadership44:40 The role of Growing2gether in Scotland’s youth ecosystem48:26 Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond52:14 How communities can support the work54:26 Messages for young people and adults56:14 Closing reflections