£10.8m fund to empower disadvantaged communities

The People and Communities Fund will be allocated to 185 projects in 2016/17, which are addressing inequalities in disadvantaged communities.

The investment will support projects which are providing training and upskilling, healthy eating, volunteering opportunities, employability advice, activities for young people, and reducing the levels of isolation experienced by older people.

The investment is aimed at empowering communities to deliver long-term solutions that tackle poverty.

Housing associations to receive a share of the funding include Grampian, Langstane, Argyll Community, Dunbritton, Fyne Homes, West Highland, Abertay, Caledonia, Cunninghame, Bield, Hillcrest Group, Hillhead, Port of Leith, Barrhead, Linstone, Castle Rock Edinvar, Dunedin Canmore, Link Group, GHA, Kingdom, Ore Valley, Blairtummock, Cadder, Cassiltoun, Copperworks, Easthall Park, Elderpark, Glen Oaks, Govanhill, Hawthorn Housing Coop, Maryhill, Milnbank, ng homes, Queens Cross, Shettleston, Southside, Spire View, Thenue, Whiteinch and Scotstoun, Yoker, Highlands Small Communities Trust, Oak Tree, River Clyde Homes, ANCHO, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders, Ayrshire, West Whitlawburn Housing Coop, Cernach, Clydebank, Knowes, West Highland and Almond.

Housing and welfare minister Margaret Burgess announced the funding on a visit to Rosemount Lifelong Learning in Glasgow, which will receive around £100,000 in 2016/17.

She said: “This £10.8m investment reinforces our commitment to empowering communities and giving them a stronger voice in the decisions that matter to them.

“The People and Communities Fund recognises that every community in Scotland has different needs and challenges and it is the people who live and work in those areas that are best placed to come up with the solutions to address inequalities.

“By funding projects that are changing behaviours through healthy eating and food growing, and investing in schemes like Rosemount Lifelong Learning’s that are helping to train and upskill people to find employment, we are empowering communities and giving them the support they need to shape their own futures and tackle the deep-rooted causes of poverty.”

The funding will help Rosemount Lifelong Learning to deliver eight-week programmes aimed at improving the life chances of people in the north and north east of Glasgow, and providing them with certified training in areas like IT, employability, food hygiene, first aid and STEPS to Excellence. The programmes will also offer people advice on tenancies, money management and employability.

Alison Mason, chief executive from Rosemount Lifelong Learning, said: “We are delighted that the People and Communities Fund has allowed us to work with local people, enabling them to develop their employability skills and make positive changes not just to their own lives but to the lives of their families as well.”

The projects being funded by the People and Communities Fund are listed here.