October 2020 – Page 22 – The NEN

Autistic people struggling to get vital support, says new report

– 72% of people responding to a survey about their experiences of the Scottish Government and COSLA’s 10 year Strategy for Autism reported that they did not have enough support to meet their needs –

The findings are published in today’s ‘The Accountability Gap’, a report from the Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Autism’s review of the Scottish Government and COSLA’s 10-year Strategy for Autism.

Supported by charities National Autistic Society Scotland and Scottish Autism, who provide Joint-Secretariat to the CPG, a survey carried out as part of the review also found that:

72% of respondents said they did not have enough support to meet their needs
78% of respondents said that it was not easy accessing support locally
50% felt that autism awareness among the general public had not improved
69% said that with more support they would feel less isolated
36% said they received no support within 12 months of receiving a diagnosis.

The CPG on Autism is Co-Convened by Annie Wells MSP and Alexander Burnett MSP, and has a large membership that comprises of MSPs, autistic people, families, organisations and professionals from across Scotland. The group meets regularly looking at issues faced by autistic people and families.

In 2011, the Scottish Government together with COSLA published a 10-year Scottish Strategy for Autism that set out priorities and aimed to deliver strategic action for autistic people and their families in Scotland.

The CPG on Autism undertook its review from May 2019 to January 2020 and heard first-hand the difficulties faced by autistic people and their families in Scotland. It found widespread recognition that the Government’s strategy set out a welcome vision and was well-intentioned however the majority of people who participated said there had been limited impact for many people in a number of areas including autism diagnosis and post-diagnostic support, as well as support in education, care and employment.

It also highlighted how a lack of accountability at local level, is leaving autistic people and families fighting, often with little success, to get the support they need.

The review makes 10 recommendations that aim to help improve the lives of autistic people that the Scottish Government and COSLA should consider when the Strategy comes to the end of its lifespan in 2021. These include:

Solving the accountability gap by establishing a new Commissioner role, whose remit includes ensuing that autistic people and families get the support they need.
Developing a new Scottish Strategy for Autism that is co-created between autistic people, families, charities, COSLA and the Government, is appropriately funded and delivers real sustainable change.

Co-Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Autism, Alexander Burnett MSP, said: “The majority view of the hundreds of people who have been involved in our review is that the ambition and aspiration set out in the Scottish Government’s strategy has not been realised in practice and that many autistic people and their families lack the appropriate levels of support in order to thrive in our society.

“We found that there are concerns surrounding a lack of training for professionals, as well as a lack of pre and post diagnosis support across a number of areas 2including social care, education, transition into adulthood, housing and employment.

“In the context of the pandemic we believe the report’s recommendations are more important than ever for Scottish Government, COSLA and partners to consider when planning for what comes next when the strategy is due to come to an end next year.

“Over the years, we have seen numerous reports and reviews on autism, however there seems to be little evidence to suggest any real change is being delivered at a local level.

“This is a system that is repeatedly failing to meet the rights and needs of autistic people. We must therefore focus on systemic sustainable change to enable better access to education, health, social and community services for autistic people and their families.”

Kirsteen, a mother from Aberdeen said: “I have an autistic son called Toby who is now a young adult. When Toby was younger he received support from the school, college and the local authority but virtually stopped overnight when he became 16.

“Toby needs a lot of support and without it we struggled to cope as a family. Ultimately, we reached crisis point and things escalated even to the extent the police got involved as he became very frustrated and lashed out.

“Toby is now living in his own flat which initially I had to pay for as the local authority did not provide anything that met his needs. They had offered a place in a hostel for people with drug issues which is completely inappropriate.

“I’m now selling my place so I can move closer to Toby as I desperately want to make sure he is supported. I do this because my son and daughters mean the world to me but it’s hugely stressful to hold down a full-time career in nursing and provide support for someone with such complex needs.

“I don’t feel things have got better over the last few years and I don’t think they will change unless Scotland implements legislation – committees and reviews on autism make no difference.”

Nick Ward, Director of National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “Today’s ‘Accountability Gap’ report from the Cross-Party Group paints a stark picture of the struggles that Scotland’s 56,000 autistic people and their families face in order to get the services they are entitled to – a struggle which sadly they often lose leaving them frustrated, distraught and often in crisis.

“The Government must now look to build on the 10-year strategy by building accountability into the system so people get the services and support they so desperately need.”

Charlene Tait, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Scottish Autism, said: “We recognise the Scottish Government’s commitment through its 10-year strategy to set out a landscape where autistic people and their families have access to the services and support they need.

“However, there is an evident ‘accountability gap’ between service provision and what is available. The reality is that many autistic people and their families often have to fight to get the vital services and support to which they are entitled.

“Over the years, we have seen numerous reports and reviews on autism, however there seems to be little evidence to suggest any real change is being delivered at a local level. This is a system that is repeatedly failing to meet the rights and needs of autistic people.

“We must therefore focus on systemic sustainable change to enable better access to education, health, social and community services for autistic people and their families.”

CPG-on-Autism-report-The-Accountability-Gap-12.10.2020 Download

Usdaw welcomes unanimous support for Ne’er Day closing

Happy New Year for shop workers?

Shop workers’ trade union Usdaw has welcomed Holyrood’s Petitions Committee’s unanimous decision to back a petition to end New Year’s Day trading in large stores.

The committee has agreed to write to stakeholders within the retail industry and urges the Scottish Government to conduct the required consultation.

Usdaw launched a petition last year calling on the Scottish Government to launch a consultation on implementing legislation already in place to ban most large shops from opening on New Year’s Day. The Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading Act (Scotland) Act 2007 prohibits trading in most large shops on Christmas Day and gave powers to the Scottish Government to stop the opening of those shops on New Year’s Day as well, which has never been enacted.

An extensive Usdaw survey of over 1,000 Scottish retail staff, found that:

98% say that stores should be shut on New Year’s Day
Three-quarters feel they spend too little time with friends and family over New Year.
Only 4% are happy to work on New Year’s Day or 2 January.

The full survey results can be viewed at: www.usdaw.org.uk/NYDSurvey

Tracy Gilbert, Usdaw’s Scottish Deputy Divisional Officer, said: “We thank the petitions committee for their unanimous support and decision to progress our petition.

“As Jackie Baillie MSP rightly pointed out, the First Minister agreed to look at Usdaw’s campaign, but that was back in January and the Scottish Government is now saying it’s not the right time to do this. It’s been 13 years since the original legislation was passed, so it is difficult to understand when the Government thinks it would be the right time.

“The strength of feeling among our members is clearly demonstrated by our survey and over 3,000 of them writing to their MSPs asking for support. Retail staff work incredibly hard all year round, but it is particularly busy and stressful throughout December. So they deserve to be able to spend time with family and friends.

“Hogmanay and New Year is a special holiday, but this is not reflected in the experience of many retail workers. Under the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007 Scottish Ministers may, by statutory instrument, ban large shops from opening on New Year’s Day, subject to consultation.

“On behalf of Scotland’s retail workers, we are urging the Scottish Government to open that consultation and for MSPs to listen to shopworkers’ concerns about their work and life balance. After everything Scottish shop workers have been through this year, as key workers on the frontline of delivering essential services, they deserve a decent break over New Year.”

What shopworkers say:

You’re tired from working and don’t really relax or enjoy the limited time you get with the kids. Then you start all over again working New Year’s Day too!!!
If, like myself, you have to work Boxing Day and New Year’s Day – it should be paid at least time and half.
As a store manager I have had to work Christmas and New Year. A lot of hard work goes into the weeks leading up. By Christmas Day you are exhausted and then back to work on Boxing Day. This year I also have to work New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and on the second.
I am not happy working till 1930 on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. By 4pm our store was fairly empty.
Finishing times on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay are creeping up later, which has a severe impact on family life for retail workers.

Young Start lottery boost for Capital employability project

Projects that will boost the physical and mental health of young Scots are amongst those sharing in £732,323 of dormant bank accounts funding announced on Thursday.

Ten projects, run for and by young people, are celebrating the cash from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Young Start fund.

One of them is Edinburgh’s Capital City Partnership, who receive £62, 500. The city council’s arms-length employability agency will use their Young Start funding to work with ‘young people in Edinburgh at high risk of unemployment’ who will be supported by a dedicated Employment Advocacy worker. The project will work with twenty young people and will also offer two volunteering opportunities.

The Young Start funding will remove barriers to sport and physical activity for young disabled Scots like racerunner athlete Wiktoria Mucha following a grant of £66,000 to local charity, PHSYICAL.

Wiktoria Mucha, 18, from Blairgowrie has cerebral palsy and is a member of Perth Strathtay Harriers which is one of the many partner organisations and sports clubs that PHYSICAL will work with as part of their Young Start funded ‘Positive Beginnings’ project.

Over the next three years hundreds of young people from Perth & Kinross will be able to access coaching opportunities, accredited courses, volunteering opportunities, one to one mentoring and peer support.

Welcoming the news Wiktoria said: “I enjoy race-running as it improves your overall fitness and emotional well-being. I’m looking forward to taking part in Positive Beginnings as I think it will help me with my confidence by meeting other people and learning new skills.”

PHYSICAL trustee Jim Hunter added: “This Young Start grant will allow us to evolve and grow our ‘Positive Beginnings’ programme. Young disabled people, like Wiktoria, will be at the centre of this process and involved throughout.

“It will help each young person develop lifelong skills and knowledge through the platform of sport and physical activity. This cash boost goes a long way to help us reach the financial target for this project.”

Meanwhile, Dundee Football Club in the Community Trust receives £95,624 to help build the confidence, skills and future employment prospects of young people aged between 15 and 24.

The project will create a safe space for young people to access work placements and further education opportunities whilst using their local knowledge to plan and deliver activities for their communities.

Over two years, it will support 45 young people who will create, design and benefit from the programme.

Welcoming the news, Greg Fenton, Community Manager, Dundee FC In The Community Trust, said: “We are delighted with the news of our Young Start grant, which will help us achieve what we set out as a charity to Deliver Change and Transform Lives in our community.

“This project will give young people a fantastic chance in life and, working with our team and partners, this will increase their positive life chances and support them into further education and/or employment.

“The Trust have guaranteed to employ some of the young people on full time and part time contracts from the programme for a full year, so they can give back to their community whilst transforming their lives and the lives of other young people.”

Young Start awards dormant bank and building society cash to youth-led projects across Scotland and is delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.

The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “At a time when young people are understandably concerned about their futures, it’s great to see that today’s Young Start funding will provide access to accredited courses, volunteering and training opportunities.

“This in turn will help to grow the confidence of many young people like Wiktoria who will lead from the front and realise their full potential.”

Groups wanting to know more about Young Start, and how it can support them during these unprecedented times should telephone 0141 846 0447 or visit https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/youngstart

The Lost Cafe Sessions – a collection of ‘lost’ music recordings

A COLLECTION of lost recording sessions – featuring tracks from a sample of the most talented indie bands gigging across Scotland in the early ’90s – is finally set for its well-overdue release.

It may have taken 30 years, but the recently-recovered and now digitally-remastered compilation album – called ‘The Lost Café Sessions’ – will be launched across all major streaming platforms later this month, on the 22^nd of October 2020.

Originally recorded at The Sound Café Studios, near Edinburgh in 1991, the project was conceived by two aspiring music entrepreneurs from Fife – Jim Russell and Ian Harrower – and the album was planned as an expansion of their then student music promotions company called Smithfield Entertainments.

Beset by challenges and lack of funding, their ambitions to complete the CD release of the album back in the autumn of 1991 were abandoned.

Over the years, the master tapes were misplaced, eventually lost and the recordings, along with the duo’s dreams to launch an indie record label, faded to memories.

Early, during the lockdown in 2020, however, a copy or the original master tapes tuned up, recovered by the former studio owner and sound engineer, Dave Gray, and lurking in a cardboard box at the bottom of a dusty storage cupboard in his home.

And so, at a time of COVID, and with musicians across the country stuck at home, the boys began rekindling old friendships and connections and gaining permission from the copyright holders now scattered across the globe to upload those lost sessions.

The lost Café Sessions will now appear on iTunes and Spotify and most of the digital streaming platforms from the 22^ndOctober.

The album is also available on the favoured platform of many musicians – Bandcamp – where people can make a direct donation to the album’s dedicated charity partner, Siblings Reunited (SC043937).

Jim Russell, who for many years has worked in the scientific software industry, commented: “Sadly, we have learned that a few of the musicians involved in the original recordings are no longer with us.

“Part of the motivation, then, to complete the album launch that we first imagined all those years ago was to pay a wee tribute to them and remembering their boundless youthful ambition, creativity and talent.”

Ian Harrower, who works in festival and event management, commented: “It’s been brilliant catching up and making contact with all those folks that we used to organise gigs and tours with.

“Each of the tracks still sound strong to us and even though we have been listening now with ears that have matured over 30 years. We hope people will enjoy reconnecting with bands that they may have followed or enjoying a wee musical trip down memory lane remembering live music venues, live music in pubs and the sounds of the music scene in Scotland across the 1990’s.”

A podcast produced by Jim’s son, Liam Russell, currently studying an MA in Radio, Audio and Podcasting at Sunderland University – and featuring interviews with many of the musicians who were involved – has also been recorded and will be released along with the album on release day, 22 October.

Training for people facing redundancy and unemployment

People who have lost their jobs or who are at risk of redundancy as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19) can access support to retrain through a new fund launched by Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop this week.

The £25 million National Transition Training Fund – a flagship Programme for Government commitment – will help up to 10,000 people aged 25 and over to develop the skills required to move into sectors with the greatest potential for future growth and job opportunities.

The fund will help to boost the supply of skills in areas such as sustainable green jobs and raise the profile of training opportunities linked to Scotland’s transition to a net zero economy.

Ms Hyslop said: “This is a very worrying time for many people – particularly for those working in sectors most affected by the pandemic and whose livelihoods are at risk.

“That is why we are doing everything we can to protect jobs and ensure that people faced with redundancy can get back to work as quickly as possible.

“The National Transition Training Fund will help people take advantage of the jobs available in growth areas of the economy, such as digital and green technologies. It will also be responsive to industry needs and targeted towards the most exposed sectors including oil and gas, aviation and tourism.

“As we recover from the pandemic, it is our ambition to create a stronger, more resilient, more sustainable economy. Ensuring people have the right skills to futureproof their careers will be crucial in achieving that goal.”

Skills Development Scotland will be responsible for the initial £11 million phase of the fund, which is now live and will help up to 6,000 people by March 2021.

People accessing the fund will be in control of their own training plan but will have the support of advisers with knowledge of local job opportunities so they can make informed decisions about their future career.

Frank Mitchell, Chair of SDS, said: “The National Transition Training Fund is an important part of the plan for how Scotland can emerge strongly from this crisis with more of the skills that will drive our future economy.

“For anyone currently facing or dealing with redundancy, the fund offers the chance to get vital training offering a pathway towards jobs in growth areas.

“For employers, it’s also an opportunity to access some of the most in-demand skills that are needed to speed up economic recovery and return to growth.”

Stuart McKenna, Chief Executive of the Scottish Training Federation, said: “We welcome the introduction of this new fund which will help people re-shape and develop their existing skills – and through bespoke support, develop a portfolio of skills much needed in growth sectors.

“The focus on ensuring that people have control over their own training plan is particularly welcome. This will promote ownership of their future career and allow them to develop the skills that will give the best opportunities in their specific circumstances.”

The first phase of the National Transition Training Fund will be administered by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) on behalf of Scottish Government, with work coaches from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and PACE advisers from SDS providing advice and support. Two further strands will launch this autumn.

The Fund is open to anyone aged 25 or over who is unemployed, economically inactive or at risk of unemployment due to the impact of Covid-19.

To find out more, visit myworldofwork.co.uk/national-transition-training-fund or call 0800 917 8000.

JVT: ‘We are at a tipping point’

The UK’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam outlines the current Covid-19 situation:

In our national fight against Covid-19, we are at a tipping point similar to where we were in March; but we can prevent history repeating itself if we all act now.

ONS data show that an estimated 224,000 people have the virus – up from 116,000 last week, hospital admissions for Covid-19 are rising again, as are intensive care admissions. Although the epidemic re-started in younger adult age groups in the last few weeks, there is clear evidence of gradual spread into older age groups in the worst affected areas.

Sadly, just as night follows day, increases in deaths will now follow on in the next few weeks. The good news, is that we are much more certain now that children are usually not badly affected by this virus.

The R for the UK is between 1.2 – 1.5. Roughly this means that every one case generates more than one new case, through onward transmission – so the epidemic grows larger. Every NHS region of England has an R that is well above 1.0, suggesting that widespread increases in transmission continues across the country, not just in the north of England. Scientists estimate that the doubling time in the UK for new infections is between 8 and 16 days and is even faster in some areas.

SAGE is clear that we need to act now.

Winter in the NHS is always a difficult period, and that is why in the first wave our strategy was: “contain, delay, research and mitigate” to push the first wave into Spring. This time it is different as we are now are going into the colder, darker winter months. We are in the middle of a severe pandemic and the seasons are against us. Basically, we are running into a headwind.

The NHS is bracing itself and they will do what they always do, which is work their socks off to help as many people as possible. But we need to be realistic – there is only so much they can do. We all have to help our hard-working NHS staff continue to care for everyone who needs it urgently, and provide as many non-urgent tests, checks and treatments as possible, by helping to stem the rising tide of infections.

People point out that we must not lose sight of the indirect harms of Covid-19. They are absolutely right. We need to keep elective surgeries and non-urgent services open for as long as we can; we need to keep cancer treatment and diagnostic services going; and we need to continue to provide mental health services. And importantly, we need people to come forward for that care when they need it – and we know that, during the first peak, fear of the virus put many off from doing so.

The best way we can do this is to keep the number of Covid-19 cases down. If cases rise dramatically the NHS will need to focus more on dealing with the life threatening situations immediately in front of them; this can mean freeing up staff and space by postponing other non-urgent procedures and treatments. We need to help the NHS by keeping Covid-19 numbers low; and in turn the NHS will be there for us, our families and loved ones.

The principles for how we keep transmission low have not changed. Above all else, if you have Covid-19 symptoms you must self-isolate in line with published guidance and get a test.

At all times, even when you are well, wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering in confined spaces and follow the 2 metre social distancing rules. By keeping our contacts low we reduce the number of opportunities for the virus to spread. I know this is very hard, but it is an unfortunate scientific fact that the virus thrives on humans making social contact with one another.

What I would give to have had the level of data, testing and medical insight we have now back in February and March this year. We now have much-improved testing capabilities, we know in more detail where the disease is, and we have better treatments.

Earlier in the year we were fighting a semi-invisible disease, about which we had little knowledge, and it seeded in the community at great speed. Now we know where it is and how to tackle it – let’s grasp this opportunity and prevent history from repeating itself.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce tougher restrictions for England tomorrow.

ELREC food support appeal

Project: ELREC Food Support – Covid 19 Response

The lockdown and Covid 19 have been particularly difficult on many BAME, low income and isolated families here in Edinburgh.

In June 2020 ELREC started a food project to help bridge the gap between BAME people and food poverty and access to free food services such as food banks. This came about after ELREC was contacted by many community members asking for food support due to job losses, furlough, redundancies, and benefits income not being sufficient to live on for many families.

The work is all volunteer led and these include ELREC staff, board members and our other volunteers who give up their time to help us deliver this project. ELREC provides on average 25-30 food parcels per week.

The volunteers not only put the parcels together but also deliver them to anyone who is not able to collect for health or Covid reasons. We are working in partnership with Edinburgh Community Food and Fareshare to deliver this service for the community.

We are seeking donations to top up the food parcels with specific items such as meat.

PLEASE DONATE what you can and help us keep doing this important work for our community: https://gf.me/u/yw6r7s

Please, have a look at the STV coverage of our project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7X7uNVAn00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3KoT6qC-Ig&t=66s

Many thanks,

Foysol Choudhury MBE
Chair, Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council
14 Forth Street Edinburgh EH1 3LH
Tel 0131 556 0441
http://www.elrec.org.uk/

New ‘vision’ proposed for Princes Street and Waverley Valley

As developers come forward with plans for Princes Street/Waverley Valley (Eh? Me neither, but Cllr Maureen Child explains below – Ed.), a proposal to prepare a new vision to conserve and manage change within Edinburgh’s historic townscape is to be considered.

Councillors on the Planning Committee will discuss a report on Wednesday (14 October). If the go ahead is given the ‘vision’ would also inform future development and management of the area and the quality of its public realm.

The guidance would sit in the context of the future City Plan 2030 as non-statutory planning guidance and complement the delivery of the Edinburgh City Centre Transformation programme (ECCT) and World Heritage Site Management Plan.

The vision, if approved, is to be developed over the next 12 months and would cover three strands:

The first strand (The Waverley Valley Conservation and Access Plan) would address issues such as preserving Edinburgh’s iconic skyline, impacts of climate change and ‘maximising the value of the gardens to enhance physical and mental wellbeing while ensuring the continued potential to accommodate events and activities‘.

The second strand (Princes Street Framework: Buildings and Uses) would review the blocks on Princes Street with a view to creating opportunities for investment, growth and jobs while also enhancing the overall lived environment of Princes Street and the Waverley Valley.

Finally, the third strand (Princes Street Public Realm Design Code) would seek to improve Princes Street’s public realm to create a more attractive, people friendly street environment for everyone to enjoy the unrivalled views to the Castle and Old Town, and to support retail and leisure.

Planning Convener Cllr Neil Gardiner said: An important reason why Edinburgh is recognised across the world as an outstanding city is because of the Waverley Valley between the Old and New Towns, with gardens and superb views.

“One impact of the coronavirus pandemic is that many of us are now questioning how we live, our priorities and how we’re going about our daily lives. The Waverley Valley Strategy, which is much needed regardless of the these changes is now even more important to help us shape Edinburgh’s unique city centre with its combination of beautiful built heritage and world-famous architecture.

“I would like our vision to be for a welcoming, relaxing and people-friendly environment. Through the ongoing City Centre Transformation, we’re making moves toward strengthening and enhancing these characteristics in the heart of Edinburgh.

“At the beginning of this year we also changed our supplementary planning guidance for retail in the city centre, recognising changing trends amongst shoppers and other people who spend time in the city centre. In connecting all of this together, we aim to put guidance in place to make sure we create a healthy balance of uses on Princes Street and in the Waverley Valley in the future.”

Cllr Maureen Child Vice Planning Convener said: “The Waverley Valley plays a defining role in establishing contrast between the medieval Old Town and Georgian New Town and this forms a key part of why the area is part of a World Heritage Site.

“The valley is a fantastic space and plays a huge part in for the city’s wellbeing, civic and cultural life. It has gardens, many listed buildings, scheduled monuments, art collections, exhibition spaces and cultural attractions.

“Its transport infrastructure including Waverley Station allows people from across Edinburgh and beyond to pass through and experience the city’s strong sense of identity and this something I hope the guidance will continue to preserve in the future.”

If preparation of a vision is approved next week, a further report will be brought to the Planning Committee early in 2021 ahead of a public consultation on the draft proposals, with the final strategy due by next autumn for approval.

Pennywell Road incident: can you help?

Police continue to appeal for witnesses following a serious road crash on Pennywell Road on Wednesday (7 October).

Around 3.15pm a man and a woman were crossing the road at the zebra crossing near to the old Pennywell Arcade when they were struck by a silver Mercedes.

Emergency services attended and the 34-year-old woman was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where she is being treated for serious injuries.The 34-year-old man was also taken to hospital but did not require treatment.

Sergeant Peter Scott of Police Scotland’s Road Policing Unit said: “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident and we are looking to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of Pennywell Road on Wednesday afternoon around 15.15pm.

“We would appeal to anyone who witnessed what happened or observed a silver Mercedes on the road to please get in touch. We would also ask any motorists with dash-cams who were in the area to check their footage in case they have captured anything which could be of significance.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1904 of Wednesday 7 October 2020.”

University initiative to support young people in Craigmillar

A ground-breaking new collaboration will provide more educational opportunities for young people in areas of Edinburgh and Glasgow traditionally associated with social deprivation.

New learning centres will be established in Craigmillar and Govan, offering educational support to young people aged 7-18. The centres will provide after-school academic tuition, mentoring and programmes to enable young people achieve their ambitions.

The project is a collaboration between the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, in partnership with education charity IntoUniversity.

The initiative is based upon a shared concern for children growing up in poverty and a belief in the power of education to transform young people’s lives.

Working closely with local schools, colleges and other agencies, the centres will provide invaluable long-term support for young people, their education and their journey towards employment.

The centres will complement both universities’ widening participation activities, providing community-based support to young people on their doorstep.

A total of £2.7 million has been raised by the universities to fund the two centres for a pilot period of five years.

Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said: “We are proud to be part of this ambitious and important project. It is a major milestone in helping us unlock and nurture the potential of young people, regardless of their background.

“The impact will create a wider benefit not only for the individuals, but also for their families and communities, the universities or colleges they might attend, and for society as a whole.

“We are delighted that this new partnership with the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh is enabling IntoUniversity to serve young people in Scotland. The learning centres will use the power of education to lift young people out of poverty, opening up new worlds of possibility, said Dr Rachel Carr OBE, Co-Founder and CEO, IntoUniversity.

“We look forward to working in partnership with local schools, colleges, third sector organisations, businesses and councils, along with the Universities, to bring this project to fruition.”

IntoUniversity has carried out detailed feasibility work and consultation to ensure that the new centres will play a valuable role alongside other services for young people.

The centres will complement extensive work that both universities already do to widen access to higher education, by providing community-based support to young people on their doorstep. Through activities at the universities young people will develop their understanding of university life and awareness of the opportunities that higher education has to offer.

£2.7 million has been raised to fund the first two centres for a pilot period of 5 years. Further fundraising is underway to enable a third centre to open in Maryhill in Autumn next year.

Two high school pupils raise their hands to answer a question in class. Photo courtesy of IntoUniversity

Dr Rachel Carr OBE, Co-Founder and CEO IntoUniversity, said: “We are delighted that this new partnership with the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh is enabling IntoUniversity to serve young people in Scotland.

“Three new learning centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh will use the power of education to lift young people out of poverty, opening up new worlds of possibility. We look forward to working in partnership with local schools, colleges, third sector organisations, businesses and councils, along with the Universities, to bring this project to fruition.”

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor University of Glasgow, said: “The University of Glasgow is a proudly international institution, but we have never forgotten that our first duty is to the city we serve. A key part of that is ensuring opportunities are available to talented young people across Glasgow, regardless of their background.

“For the university and the city to thrive, we need to be able to empower people across our communities to meet their full potential and this ground-breaking collaboration – delivered in partnership with the University of Edinburgh and IntoUniversity – represents the next step in realising that ambition, with the potential to transform the lives of some of our most disadvantaged young people.”

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs welcomed the initiative. He said: “This is an excellent imitative between Edinburgh and Glasgow University to improve access to higher education for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Being from a less affluent background can put up barriers for young students to go on to further education and I am pleased that this partnership is looking to even the scales.

“The grading fiasco last academic year, where pupils from less affluent backgrounds were marked down by a greater extent than pupils form more affluent backgrounds, highlights the need to improve access to higher education.

“I fully support this new partnership between Edinburgh and Glasgow University, and will support it in whatever way I can.”