Communities, groups and individuals are being invited to share their views in a consultation on the creation of Scotland’s first new National Parks in almost twenty years.
The Scottish Government committed to establish at least one new National Park in Scotland by the end of this Parliamentary session in 2026, as part of the Bute House agreement with the Scottish Green Party and the Programme for Government.
The public consultation is looking at what people value about Scottish National Parks, and what these areas should deliver in future – in particular, how they can help to protect and restore nature, tackle climate change and promote sustainable land use. This will be followed by a longer period during which communities, local government and organisations will be encouraged and supported to develop proposals for new Parks.
Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater visited Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park to open the consultation, and speak to pupils at Luss Primary School who have been involved in a local COP 26 legacy tree-planting project.
Ms Slater said: “It is almost two decades since Scotland’s first National Parks in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and the Cairngorms were established. Both are home to some of the country’s most outstanding scenery, are internationally important areas for nature and receive millions of visitors each year.
“They work hard to tackle the biodiversity and climate crisis, help manage facilities for visitors, promote responsible access and develop sustainable communities. They have become jewels in Scotland’s crown, and now is the time to add to them.
“We are committed to establish at least one new National Park in Scotland by the end of this Parliamentary session in 2026. To be able to do this in an open and transparent manner, we need to be able to assess any new area which is to be considered for National Park status against a set of agreed expectations.
“This is where we need your help and ideas. We want to gauge what people want their National Parks to deliver for the environment, culture and the communities within their boundaries.
“I would strongly encourage everyone to take part and ensure your views are heard and reflected in the shaping of this historic expansion of Scotland’s National Parks.”
Results of Research Excellence Framework 2021 published
Edinburgh Napier University’s research power has been highlighted in a wide-ranging assessment of research quality in UK universities.
The activity at the University assessed as “internationally excellent” and “world-leading” by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) has leapt from 53 to 68 per cent since the last time the exercise was carried out in 2014.
And the University’s research power metric, which takes into account the overall quality of the submission and the number of researchers whose work was submitted, rocketed from 250 to 718. The feat gave the University top ranking among the Scottish modern or post-1992 universities.
Edinburgh Napier was also the top Scottish modern for research impact.
The improved ratings are all the more remarkable after the University chose to submit the work of more than 250 researchers, up from under 100 last time around, showing the strength and depth that now exists across research areas.
The REF – the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions – is undertaken by the four UK higher education funding bodies: Research England, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland (DfE).
A total of 157 UK institutions participated in the exercise, which is used to inform the allocation of around £2 billion of research funding per year. The thoroughness of the exercise is designed to provide accountability for public investment in research, demonstrating its benefits and impact.
REF 2021 – for which submission deadlines were extended due to the Covid-19 pandemic – assessed 21 per cent of Edinburgh Napier’s activity as world-leading and 47 per cent as internationally excellent.
The University’s improved power rating should now see research funding increase as it takes significant strides to grow its reputation as a research-focused institution as well as a teaching one.
The research submitted covered a wide range of academic disciplines, from environmental science and computer science to built environment and social policy. It included projects focusing on mangrove and seagrass conservation, cybercrime-busting technology, offsite construction solutions, cardiovascular health and police stop and search policy.
Of the 13 units of assessment (UoAs) submitted, Edinburgh Napier improved in every single one.
ULT portrait – Nick Antonopoulos, Vice Principal of Research and Innovation
Professor Nick Antonopoulos, the University’s Vice Principal of Research and Innovation, said: “I am delighted to see these REF results firmly placing Edinburgh Napier as the Number One Modern in Scotland, both in research power and impact. This is the outcome of the tireless, collaborative efforts of our academic and professional services staff over the past seven years, for which I am truly grateful.
“These outcomes, and in particular the fact that nearly 70 per cent of our research has been evaluated as internationally excellent or world-leading, provide the best possible confirmation that Edinburgh Napier delivers excellent research with substantial real impact, nationally and internationally.
“These achievements are even more remarkable when we consider the funding that Edinburgh Napier has been receiving, and clearly illustrate that as an institution we deliver considerable additional value for money in research and innovation.”
Scottish Government Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, Neil Gray MSP, attended a literary lunch at Stockbridge Library yesterday to celebrate the ‘national reading moment’, as part of the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign.
Joining local book groups, as well as the library’s visually impaired audio book group, Mr Gray listened to live reads from renowned local crime author Gillian Galbraith at a special event coordinated by Edinburgh Libraries.
Hosted as part of the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign, led by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) in partnership with MHF the Mental Health Foundation and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), with support from Baillie Gifford and many more, Gillian led a series of six-minute reads, followed by a Q&A session, to inspire people of all ages and abilities to read every day to help boost their mental health and wellbeing.
Joan Parr, Service Director Culture and Wellbeing for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Reading for pleasure can have a hugely positive impact on our wellbeing and the ‘Keep the Heid and Read’ campaign is a great way of reminding people about the health benefits of reading.
“Taking time out and reading something for just six minutes a day helps boost your mental health and there’s no better place to do this than our libraries which are full of a wide range of great materials.
“Our libraries are invaluable resources for local communities and we all know there’s so much more to them than just borrowing books – they are trusted and much-loved services which strengthen local communities and are essential for the wellbeing of everyone using them.”
Taking place during Mental Health Week 2022 (9-15 May 2022), the campaign, conceptualised by the post-lockdown plea for public libraries to reopen, encouraged people in Scotland to take part in the ‘national reading moment’ on Wednesday 11 May, with a pledge to read for just six minutes.
Research shows that reading for six minutes a day can reduce stress by 68 per cent – in people of all ages.
At the time of the event, the campaign had already surpassed its target of 300,000 pledged reading minutes, with support from around the country.
An online totaliser, capturing the growing number of reading minutes pledged towards the national reading moment, is available at: www.keeptheheid.scot.
Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “I’m delighted that so many people took part in the Keep the Heid and Read campaign led by the Scottish Library and Information Council.
“Reading not only sparks our imaginations but also boosts our mental health and well-being. I hope that everyone who took part will continue to enjoy these benefits by making reading a routine part of their daily lives.”
Pamela Tulloch, chief executive at SLIC said: “There has been such a positive response to the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign and we have seen such creativity go into special events around the reading moment, like the literary lunch at Stockbridge Library, which have helped bring people together and inspire the public to support the reading pledge.
“Our libraries are a fantastic resource, filled with an abundance of free reading materials – whatever your interests and ability; but they also play a valuable role in reconnecting communities. With the majority of libraries now reopen across Scotland following the pandemic, we hope these services will help the public take this easy-to-implement reading habit forward in daily life to benefit their wellbeing.”
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) continues to support blind and partially sighted people in Scotland with a range of wellbeing services during Mental Health Awareness Week, which starts today [May 9th].
Since Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted, the charity’s counselling team has experienced an increasing number of calls for emotional support. Referrals to its Mental Wellbeing Check-ins are also continuing to rise and the surge is expected to continue throughout the year.
These provide support within 72 hours of contacting RNIB with an hour-long call with a counsellor, allowing people a space to share their feelings, and explore coping strategies and any other support needs.
Mental Health Awareness Week is organised by the Mental Health Foundation and RNIB is highlighting numerous resources and services available for the estimated 178,000 people living with sight loss in Scotland.
RNIB’s Sight Loss Advice Service also provides practical and emotional support to help reduce isolation and loneliness for blind and partially sighted people; services include peer-to-peer support such as Talk and Support, Living Well with Sight Loss courses and community Facebook groups.
These initiatives are made possible thanks to funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Funds raised will also be used to develop further projects to bring people together.
Amanda Hawkins, Strategic Lead for Counselling and Mental Health at RNIB, said: “Although lockdown restrictions have been eased for a while, we’re all still adjusting to the new way of living and it’s crucial we continue to look after our mental health in the process.
“Whether you’re experiencing feelings of isolation, interested in a listening ear, or seeking some advice, our sight loss advice line is here to support you. The mental health hub on our website also has several downloadable guides to help with loneliness, sleep difficulties, mindfulness and much more.”
If you or someone you know could benefit from speaking to someone, or for tips on how to maintain your mental health, please visit rnib.org.uk/advice/sight-loss-and-wellbeing or call our Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999.
Aldi Scotland’s hugely popular Supermarket Sweep has returned for another year and customers in Edinburgh have the chance to raise as much money as possible for a local foodbank of their choosing.
Guaranteed to be the most fun anyone can have while doing the weekly shop, Edinburgh residents have the opportunity to pick up their favourite items from Aldi’s store in the Hermiston Gait Retail Park.
Launched in 2016, Aldi’s Supermarket Sweep gives shoppers the chance to do a five-minute trolley dash and take home all the Aldi favourites they can grab in that time, with Aldi donating the cash value of the trolley to a local foodbank.
The lucky shopper also has a chance to double this cash donation and take home a SpecialBuy item of their choice* if they successfully find a hidden inflatable in-store.
Edinburgh residents can apply for the Supermarket Sweep from Monday 2nd to Sunday 8th May.
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said: “The Supermarket Sweep is an event in the Aldi calendar that we all look forward to. We are so pleased to be bringing the initiative back for another year and offer one lucky Edinburgh resident the chance to have a shopping experience like no other.
“Foodbanks across Scotland have worked tirelessly over the last two years to help those who need their services the most. Last year we donated almost £9,000 to foodbanks through Supermarket Sweep and we want to build on this in 2022.
“From St Andrews to Inverness and Cumnock to Dundee, our Supermarket Sweeps will be taking place across the country. Not only are they a fun way to raise as much money as we can for local foodbanks, but they also give our loyal customers the opportunity to stock up on their favourite Aldi products.”
Shoppers will be asked to nominate their chosen foodbank when applying to take part. Entrants must be over 18 years old to take part, and alcohol products are not included in the sweep.
Entry is free and customers can apply in-store or by emailing:
From Sunday 1 May public health advice will change to a ‘stay at home’ message replacing self-isolation for people who have symptoms or have tested positive for Covid-19.
People who have symptoms of Covid-19 and who have a fever or are too unwell to carry out normal activities will be asked to ‘stay at home’ while they are unwell or have a fever. They will no longer be advised to take a PCR test.
The changes, part of the Test and Protect Transition Plan which was published last month, will also see all contact tracing ending.
As previously announced, testing for the general population will end on 30 April with test sites closing at that point too. However, testing will remain available to certain groups in order to protect high risk settings, support clinical care and for surveillance purposes.
Those groups include health and social care workers, care home and hospital visitors, patients groups eligible for treatment, hospital patients, unpaid carers and people in prison.
Other adults who have symptoms of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses and have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, are advised to stay at home until their fever has gone or they feel well enough.
Children and young people aged 18 and under with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, do not need to stay at home and can continue to attend education settings.
They should only stay at home if they are unwell and have a high temperature. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a fever and they feel well enough to attend.
This guidance reflects the fact that children and young people generally have a higher likelihood than adults of regular instances of respiratory symptoms from non-Covid illnesses.
The Protect Scotland app will also be closed down shortly, but users are encouraged to keep the app on their phones in case it is needed again at a future date.
NHS Scotland will also be taken out of emergency footing at the end of Saturday 30 April as Covid-19 cases continue to fall.
However, with continued demands on services across health and social care, there remains a need for caution to protect vital services.
Patients should only attend A&E if their condition is an emergency, to continue to limit the pressure on services. Patients can contact their GP during the day, local pharmacy or call NHS24 on 111 as an alternative.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Scotland’s Test and Protect programme has been one of the key interventions in our response to Covid-19, the success of which has been due, in no small part, to the remarkable staff and volunteers working in Test and Protect – my sincere thanks go to them.
“I would also like to thank the Scottish public for their commitment and willingness to engage with Test and Protect when it was required of them and helping to protect their fellow citizens.
“However, we recognise we are now in a different phase of the pandemic. The primary purpose of testing is changing from population-wide testing to reduce transmission, to a targeted response focused on reducing severe harm of the virus.
“As we are now seeing a steady reduction in new Covid cases, the NHS will no longer remain on emergency footing after Saturday 30 April. But we must continue with a measured approach to support the recovery and renewal of our NHS.
“This will require balancing capacity of the NHS and the wellbeing of the workforce to respond to increasing demands for urgent care while reducing the backlog of planned care.”
Further information on the stay at home guidance and measures you can take to limit the spread of Covid-19 can be found at https://bit.ly/39polwD and from 1 May on nhsinform.scot/covid19.
· Miniature vertical farms called ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’ become music installations carrying 12 specially commissioned works by 15 Scottish & international artists including Craig Armstrong, Arooj Aftab & Maeve Gilchrist, and Jason Singh
· The music cube installations are set to tour to locations across Scotland, including the V&A Dundee, Edinburgh Book Festival, the Kelburn Garden Party & Inverness Botanic Gardens
· Cubes will also tour to other locations around Scotland on specially adapted bikes, taking Dandelion’s cubes into the heart of communities across the country
· ‘Free for All’ events encouraging everyone to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’ will see 75,000 free vegetable plugs given away to members of the public
· A short film marks the beginning of Dandelion and follows the story of musician and crofter Pàdruig Morrison to the island of Heisgeir, considering sustainable growing into the future
Dandelion gets underway today [28 April 2022], a major creative programme demonstrating the power of collective action through an ambitious ‘grow your own’ initiative that aims to reach hundreds of thousands of people throughout Scotland and further afield.
Following the arc of the growing season, from now until September 2022, Dandelion brings together science, technology, art and music to inspire people to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’ – not just food, but music, ideas and knowledge. Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government, Dandelion is Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.
Dandelion aims to make growing your own food as easy and accessible as possible to people of all ages and from all backgrounds, with events and activities taking place all over Scotland in an entirely free programme, from the remotest islands to the centres of cities.
In addition to Dandelion’s previously announced Unexpected Gardens – specially-created edible gardens in 13 locations from North Uist, to Leven and Stranraer – and two three-day Dandelion Festivals in Glasgow and Inverness, more details about the programme of events are revealed today.
The programme culminates in September with a cultural reimagining of Harvest for the 21st century, featuring hundreds of celebrations across Scotland.
To mark the start of its programme, with planting and growing getting underway at Unexpected Gardens across the country, Dandelion has released a specially commissioned short film, telling the family story of one of its founding members and reimagining future ways of growing across Scotland.
75 years ago, the grandparents of crofter and musician Pàdruig Morrison established an experiment in off-grid rural living on Heisgeir in the Outer Hebrides, growing their own food and living sustainably off the land.
The short film charts Pàdruig’s return to the island in 2022 as Dandelion explores high-tech growing in specially created grow cubes alongside traditional growing methods, which will see the cubes travel to different communities all over the country.
The film also features a new score specially composed by Pàdruig for Dandelion.
Cubes of Perpetual Light – where technological innovation meets art
At the centre of Dandelion is a meeting of art and science through the creation of hundreds of unique miniature vertical farms, called the ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’.
The 1m x 1m cubes are designed to foster accelerated growing and have been developed to grow hundreds of seedlings under LED light, combining design craft, traditional horticultural expertise and technological innovation, manufactured by Liberty Produce.
The Cubes will travel the length of Scotland, demonstrating accelerated growing in unexpected places. From schools to market squares, to Unexpected Gardens – they will bring the inspiration to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’ to the community, inspiring conversations about how we can grow food sustainably now and in the future.
As well as growing thousands of plants, specially designed ‘show cubes’ will come together to create striking musical installations featuring programmable light and quadraphonic sound. Each cube will integrate with multiple speaker systems, showcasing specially commissioned music from a collection of Scottish and international artists.
The music has been created for this particular environment around themes of sustainability, to encourage listeners to think more deeply about how, where and why plants grow.
Commissions include new music from artists including Craig Armstrong, Ravi Bandhu, Arooj Aftab & Maeve Gilchrist, Jason Singh, Claire M. Singer, Manu Delago, Auntie Flo, Amiina & Kathleen MacInnes, Pàdruig Morrison, Trio de Kali, Maya Youssef and Fergus McCreadie.
Each new music piece is commissioned by Dandelion with additional support for international work from British Council Scotland.
These ‘show cubes’ will come together to create special installations hosted by venues and festivals throughout Scotland, including V&A Dundee, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Kelburn Garden Party and Inverness Botanic Gardens.
In another tour, four musical growing cubes carried on four cargo bikes will also travel around Scotland in August, with a preview at Falkirk’s Kelpies on May 14 as part of the Falkirk Science Festival.
Visiting locations from Glasgow to Edinburgh, Greenock, Hawick, Forres, Stranraer, Inverness, Wick, the bikes will introduce audiences to accelerated growing and bring the Dandelion programme to town centres, school playgrounds and green spaces cross the country.
Each site will be visited by the bikes for one day, with a two-day tour being staged at Inverness and Wick.
Music Director for Dandelion, Donald Shaw said: “Just as plants can grow from tiny seeds, great music can grow from small ideas that we nourish till they bloom into full art forms.
“The cubes can demonstrate accelerated growing in a wide range of settings, both the expected and unexpected. Placed in a particular environment they create a micro-world within a world, allowing musicians and listeners to imagine a sonic landscape that surrounds us, providing a space for contemplation and for us to imagine a future where we sow, grow and share differently.”
Inspiring the nation to Sow, Grow and Share
Dandelion is also giving away hundreds of thousands of plant plugs at Free for All events in towns and cities across Scotland, inspiring people all over the country to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’.
Members of the public are invited to pick up their plants and can also enjoy a performance of harvest songs from across the world by a five metre ‘Flower Singer’ accompanied by other performers representing sun, wind and water. A team of growing specialists from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will be distributing the plants and are on hand to give advice and tips to those new to growing.
Kicking off on May 28 in Greenock, Free for All events will be delivered in communities for people who are new to growing.
The Free for Alls will visit Govan, Stranraer, Dundee, Leven, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Hawick and Argyll and Bute throughout May, June and July, encouraging everyone to get growing across the summer months.
In addition, the Dandelion Festival in Glasgow will host a Free for All on Sunday June 19. Taking place over three days, from Friday June 17, the first Dandelion Festival will take root at the heart of Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Park, with the second festival taking place in Inverness at the Northern Meeting Park, from Friday September 2 until Sunday September 4.
Across the weekend, the venues will be transformed with live music, interactive walkabout theatre, science and creative activities for all the family as part of a unique festival that dares to reimagine our relationship with food and the planet.
At both festivals, a spectacular Pavilion installation will form a ‘living’ stage-set, made from’ 60 Cubes of Perpetual Light’ brought together.
Artists including Rura, This is the Kit, Admiral Fallow, Newton Faulkner, Hen Hoose, Niteworks, Darlingside and Les Amazones d’Afrique are among the line-up for the free event Glasgow in June, with Inverness line-up due to be announced in June.
Running alongside the public programme, Dandelion engages the next generation of growers, with over 89,000 children and young people taking part in the Dandelion Schools Growing Initiative, which also started today.
The schools programme sees over 100 specially adapted grow cubes distributed to secondary schools, working in partnership with feeder primary schools, with 464 schools taking part across the country.
Pupils will become citizen scientists in the largest community-led growing experiment ever undertaken in Scotland, comparing future farming techniques with traditional growing, later sharing the food they have produced, alongside art, live music, and stories, at hundreds of playground Harvest events.
The Schools Growing Initiative is delivered in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, a charity providing education initiatives for young people and educators which focus on environmental issues.
All Dandelion events are free to attend and non-ticketed. For full details of all events and activities including the Unexpected Gardens and Dandelion Festivals, visit dandelion.scot.
Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “The principles at the heart of the Dandelion projects and celebrations – of sharing ideas, knowledge and bringing together expertise for the common good – are more important than ever.
“The Dandelion events will seek to show the power of collective action, and its themes align with many of the ambitions of the Scottish Government.
“I would encourage everyone to check out the programme for activity near them, from enjoying one of the Unexpected Gardens, attending a festival, or having the chance to grow some of the hundreds of thousands of seeds and plant plugs being distributed at Free for All events in towns and cities across Scotland.”
Dandelion Futures Director, Fiona Dalgetty said: “Dandelion provides an extraordinary opportunity for people of all ages to come together to grow food and to celebrate all the ways in which our food is also connected to culture, music and song.
“The schools programme places the arts alongside science, technology, engineering, and maths to create an exciting cross-curricular STEAM project for pupils, teachers and the wider community to enjoy.”
Paul Bush OBE, Visit Scotland Director of Events said: “Dandelion is an incredibly diverse and exciting addition to Scotland’s events landscape this summer, fusing ideas and imagination from right across the creative spectrum.
“It’s wonderful to see artists, scientists, and technologists coming together to create a unique events programme that will inspire audiences and visitors right across Scotland to think positively about how we can all play our part in shaping a sustainable future.”
Martin Green, Chief Creative Officer for UNBOXED, said:“Dandelion is a brilliant coming together of artists, designers, technologists and scientists to make something special and important about what we eat, how it grows and what we can do ourselves, wherever we live.
“Through the cubes, the music and the opportunities to participate, Dandelion is sowing the seeds for all of us to think about and put into action how we create a sustainable future. I can’t wait to experience Dandelion alongside four other brilliant UNBOXED projects taking place in Scotland this year.’
Vital research to benefit from Make 2nds Count fundraiser
Revellers at a glamorous Great Gatsby Ball have raised more than £90,000 to support vital research into a forgotten form of breast cancer.
The gala event, at Edinburgh’s Prestonfield House, was organised by leading UK charity Make 2nds Count which campaigns to raise funds and awareness of secondary breast cancer which kills 1000 woman a month.
The charity, which helps to finance various crucial research projects, also supports patients and families and educates and informs about the little-known disease.
The ball, on March 25, was hosted by STV’s Laura Boyd and brought the Scottish business community together for an evening of fine dining, live entertainment and auction prizes.
The live and online auctions, which included prizes of a three-night city break to Lisbon and an Icelandic Northern Lights adventure for two people, raised a combined £31,664, while ‘Crack the Code’ – where participants were invited to guess the winning combination to win a stunning diamond necklace donated by Rox Edinburgh and the Grimes family – and ‘The Gift Tree’ boosted the cause by another £8,010.
Two incredibly generous anonymous donations of £10,000 each and ticket sales of over £30,000 pushed numbers towards the final sum of £90,274, to the delight of organisers and the sponsors – headline sponsor Copart UK Ltd and table sponsors Bruce Tait Associates, Saltire Roofing, Erskine Financial, David Rankin, Lamborghini Edinburgh and Sutherland Independent.
Make 2nds Count founder Lisa Fleming of Edinburgh said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the fantastic result we’ve achieved. Every penny raised will be invaluable to boost much-needed research into the disease and offer support to more and more patients and families.
“We not only had an incredible evening, but we come away from the experience with the knowledge that we can and we will continue to raise awareness and that the work we do can make a real difference to people’s lives across the UK.”
The little-known, incurable cancer – also known as metastatic, advanced or stage IV breast cancer – is a cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body. On average there are around 35,000 patients in the UK currently living with this form of the disease.
Lisa set up Make 2nds Count after being diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. She had no primary diagnosis, warning signs or lump when she was told the disease had already spread to the majority of her bones. It swiftly spread to her brain and she is living with a life sentence.
For more information about Make 2nds Count and the work they do, please visit:
A programme which provides paths to employment for disabled young adults has returned, with new opportunities for internships in the Capital.
Edinburgh’s Project SEARCH has been helping people to gain vital employment skills and prepare for work since 2014 and is back after a two-year hiatus during the pandemic.
This year, 21 young people will be able to take forward placements, including roles with the City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian. For the first time, seven of these positions will be available with Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, which has signed up to become the programme’s first new employer in seven years.
Internships will be complemented with additional training and a ‘ready for work’ qualification from Edinburgh College.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Our goal is that 100% of the people who join Project SEARCH find employment before the end of the course or quickly after graduating.
“It’s an opportunity to support young people so that they can build confidence and learn the skills they’ll need to have fulfilling careers. But it’s also an opportunity for organisations to learn how they can become better employers, providing opportunities for young disabled people who may face additional barriers, and even more so with the pandemic.
“As employers learn more about the benefits to their organisation from becoming a disability confident employer, I hope opportunities for young disabled people will increase across the city.
“So, it’s fantastic to have private sector, as well as public sector, employers involved this year.”
Mandy Watt, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Vice Convener, added: “Some of the young people applying to Project SEARCH have graduated from school virtually – and now they face the prospect of not knowing how to take their first step into the world of work.
“Disability shouldn’t be a barrier to entering employment, but we know that all too often it is. Programmes like this are working to change things and open learning and employment opportunities for our young people, allowing them to work towards their own futures.
“The addition of Virgin Hotels to the list of employers on board is really welcome news. It sets a new standard for other organisations to consider signing up. As one of the city’s newest hotels, the partnership will create even more diverse roles for people to try out and learn from.”
Adam Gray, Regional Director of People, Scotland for Virgin Hotels said: “We are really looking forward to being the first hospitality organisation to take part in Project SEARCH in Edinburgh.
“Our new hotel opening creates lot of opportunity for employment in Edinburgh and we feel the young people from Project SEARCH are a great fit for Virgin. We pride ourselves on creating an open, diverse culture for our teammates where they can come to work and be their true self.
“We cannot wait to get started meeting the young people and creating meaningful placement opportunities for them.”
Rory Young, a Project SEARCH graduate who now works full time for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I joined Project SEARCH in August 2019 and completed three placements during my internship.
“The Project really helped me to gain a variety of office-based work experience and increase my confidence within a workplace and I was supported with job seeking and job skills.
“I’ve now working as a Licensing Support Assistant. I do a variety of tasks such as dealing with all mail, printing, and issuing licenses, updating licence records, and supporting colleagues who are managing applications. I’m really enjoying the job and have fitted in really well with all my colleagues.”
The Project SEARCH course has been designed to support young people to learn relevant and transferrable skills while working in a business environment. Participants will take part in three internships where they can learn new skills and improve their confidence, while gaining over 800 hours of work practice.
Everyone enrolled will be supported by an employment specialist and a learning and engagement officer and all study works towards an SQA Employability Award that demonstrates job readiness to employers.
Types of internships available previously have included administration, reception, mailroom, catering, hospitality, librarian, portering, domestic assistant, stores department and clinical support work.
To be eligible for Edinburgh Project SEARCH you must:
Be between 16 and 29 years old
Want to secure a full-time job (16+ hours)
Be based in the Lothians
Have a recognised disability
Be willing to commit to the programme full-time for one year
Be able to travel alone or learn how to do this by the time the course starts.
