Ten Scottish charities scoop share of £1.3m fund

The £1.3 million has come directly from the funding and construction of community buildings such as schools and health centres being delivered through the £2.7 billion Scotland-wide hub programme. In building these community facilities, the hub programme also supports thousands of construction jobs, creates many graduate and apprenticeship positions and provides hundreds of training opportunities.

Managed by Inspiring Scotland on behalf of HCF, the BBFF was set up to create long-term training and job opportunities for underprivileged young people aged 12 – 21. For the next three years, over £400,000 will be distributed annually, with individual funding awards for charities ranging from £20,000 to £60,000 being made each year for three years.

Bill Mackintosh, trustee of the Hub Community Foundation, said: “The Trustees of the Hub Community Foundation are delighted to be able to commit over £1.3m spread over the next three years to help support the most disadvantaged young people furthest from the labour market to succeed through education, training and employment opportunities.

“The charities which we have chosen to support on this occasion are spread throughout Scotland and we are confident they will make a really positive impact on the lives of almost 2,000 young people.”

Celia Tennant, chief executive at Inspiring Scotland, added: “We are delighted with the ten charities the Trustees of Hub Community Foundation have selected to form the Building Brighter Futures Portfolio through a tough assessment process. The Fund was significantly over-subscribed with 76 applications received at ten times the value of the fund, demonstrating the clear need for this funding and the role of the sector in responding to this group of young people.

“We look forward to working with the ten charities which will form the new portfolio working together to support disadvantaged young people furthest from the labour market to gain the skills and confidence to succeed through education, training and employment, throughout Scotland.”

The ten charities are as follows:

Name of successful Organisation

Summary of organisation and funding

Location

Aberdeen Foyer

Established in 1995, Aberdeen Foyer is now a thriving social enterprise offering a range of services including; supported accommodation to former homeless young people, training, mentoring, counselling, employment support and health improvement initiatives. Funding will support a programme called Discovering Talent and will provide bespoke training opportunities which will increase self-awareness, provide qualifications and open pathways to careers of choice and a spread of positive destinations for young people in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen

Callander Youth Project Trust

CYPT was established in 1997 and became a charity in 2002. CYPT seeks to maximise YP potential through access to the best possible recreation and educational facilities, support and resources. CYPT transformed the Bridgend House Hotel in 2013 and now operates the 5-star Callander Hostel from it. Funding will support the delivery, activities and equipment to implement a Steps to Work programme for those furthest removed from the labour market. Funding will support the delivery, activities and equipment to implement a Steps to Work programme for those furthest removed from the labour market. CYPT will support YP to overcome their barriers and progress along the employment pipeline, offering follow-up, after care support to both businesses and young people in order to help manage expectations and the transition into full-time employment.

Stirlingshire

CEIS Ayrshire

CEIS exist for the relief of poverty through alleviation of unemployment and to provide training opportunities which will assist people in finding work. Funding will support the Young Persons Bridging Project - to build the attainment, ambition and aspirations of disadvantaged YP in Dumfries and Galloway. The project will address key aspects of entering and sustaining employment, supporting YP in social and personal development and facilitate access to work placements. This will be combined with further relevant training and securing new qualifications. YP will be referred from local schools, community networks, third sector partners and self-referral.

Ayrshire

FARE (Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse)

FARE was established in Easterhouse in 1989 and has a proven track record of working within the community to improve lives of children and families living in disadvantaged backgrounds. They run a variety of projects in schools, youth centres and residential settings engaging with people in the community via street work, working in schools, home visits and through outdoor and building based activities. Funding will support the extension of the Connect 2 Programme into schools offering 6-10 week blocks. Young people will participate in SCQF level 5/6 qualifications, and take part in leadership, communication, CV writing, interview techniques and time management workshops.

Glasgow

Grassmarket Community Project (GCP)

Grassmarket Community Project (GCP) was founded in 1982 and has been developed in partnership by Greyfriars Kirk and The Grassmarket Mission. GCP supports many of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable, isolated and marginalised young people, including leaving care, young people in the criminal justice system, young people dealing with homelessness, mental health issue, substance abuse, long term physical illness and neurological or physical disorders.

Funding will support a Pre- Apprenticeship Pathway programme providing holistic support in addition to employment training which will be provided through GCP’s social enterprises – the young people will be amongst those with the most significant barriers to employment in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh

Inspired Community Enterprise Trust

Inspired Community Enterprise Trust LTD (ICET) was set up in November 2011 with the aim of providing a range of opportunities for young people with additional support needs in Dumfries and Galloway. The aims of ICET are delivered through The Usual Place - a social enterprise community café which opened in July 2015. The Usual Place is an innovative training project for young people aged between 16 to 26 who require additional support to reach their full potential. Funding will support The Equal Choices Programme to support young people aged 14 – 21 with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder and/or additional support needs to improve their confidence, gain transferable skills in a real work environment and move into paid employment within mainstream workplaces. Accreditation is a significant element of the support towards a positive outcome.

Dumfries & Galloway

Kirkcaldy YMCA

Founded in 1844, YMCA is a global network that aims to ‘bring social justice and peace to communities by empowering young people to be agents of change’. YMCA Scotland is the national voice of 30 local YMCAs working with over 10,000 individuals per week. Each local YMCA is autonomously governed. Kirkcaldy YMCA was established in 1886.Funding will support the In-Sync programme which is run in partnership with Viewforth High School. The programme enables dedicated youth workers to build mentoring relationships with pupils who are experiencing challenges which negatively affect their potential to succeed.

Kirkcaldy

Move On

Move On was established in 1997 and now operates from bases in Edinburgh and Glasgow, working with vulnerable young people and those affected by homelessness. They offer a range of services including employability focused programmes, mentoring, money and debt advice, literacy and numeracy courses as well as providing SQA awards in Employability, Core Skills, Personal Development and Work Readiness advice. Funding will support Move On Wood Recycling which is a new social enterprise which will also provide young people with the opportunity to take part in an employability programme over an 8-week period (3 days per week) or less formally at a pace appropriate to the needs of each young person where a more flexible approach is needed.

Edinburgh

PEEK - Possibilities for Each and Every Kid

Based in North East Glasgow, PEEK work with vulnerable young people to improve their life chances by unlocking their potential whilst journeying alongside them as the PLAY, CREATE and THRIVE. Funding will support PEEK THRIVE which improves learning and employability, raises attainment, ambition and aspirations through providing skills development and pathways to positive destinations. YP will take part in 12-week blocks based around Emerging Leaders, Young Activists and Young Volunteers. Employability support is included in the Young Volunteers project.

North East Glasgow

Station House Media Unit (SHMU)

SHMU was established as a charity in 2003 and uses community media creatively to transform lives. The organisation also delivers employability programmes and a programme for offenders, both pre and post release. Funding will support the Foundations for a Brighter Future Programme which will enable the roll out of a pathway of transformational creative learning programmes at Lochside Academy. The project is structured around Early Interventions (S2-S3) and Positive Transitions (Senior Phase) delivered in partnership with schools. The courses will encourage and motivate YP referred to the programme who are unlikely of not progressing to further education, training or employment without further support.

Aberdeenshire