Communities will benefit from a share of £1.75 million to increase the numbers of people involved in making decisions about investment in their local areas.
In 2017/18 the Community Choices Fund helped over 70,000 people vote for the things that matter to them in their community.
Sixteen community organisations from across Scotland were successful in securing over £750,000 Community Choices Funding in 2018/19 to host events and give people a direct voice in how funds should be invested in their local areas on their priorities.
Announcing the funding on a visit to one of the successful projects – the Musselburgh Area Partnership – which works with the local community to choose projects that will help tackle poverty, Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell (above) said: “The Community Choices Fund puts decisions about how we invest in communities into the hands of the people who live and work in them. This way of directly involving people is going from strength to strength, establishing itself firmly in Scotland.
“Tackling poverty and community empowerment are two key priorities for this Government. We know that communities are best placed to address the inequalities in their own areas and therefore know what improvements can be made.
“I’m pleased that there are so many organisations that will benefit from this funding. Making this announcement during Challenge Poverty Week highlights how everyone in the community can play their part when it comes to tackling poverty.”
Iain Clark, Chair of the Musselburgh Area Partnership said: “I am delighted that Ms Campbell chose to visit the Musselburgh Area Partnership to announce the funding.
“It will be an amazing opportunity for some of the young people involved in the project to speak to the Cabinet Secretary, and for Ms Campbell to see first-hand the amazing work being done by young people in the Musselburgh area as a result of our Participatory Budgeting initiative Your Voice Your Choice.”
Successful projects include:
Voluntary Action Orkney will use £80,000 to work with 12 communities to promote, design and deliver participatory budgeting (PB) in geographically dispersed non linked islands.
Girvan Youth Trust will use £36,899 to run a PB scheme for projects in support of intergenerational work and improving opportunities for those with a disability.
Maryhill Housing will use £46,000 to deliver PB events with local schools led by young people.
Moray School Bank will used £62,000 to create PB opportunities for young people across 8 localities for the benefit of the community.
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