The Scottish Affairs Committee has written to Ross McEwan, CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland, with a final request to set a date to appear the Committee. The Committee has raised a number of questions that remain unanswered in relation to plans to close 62 RBS branches in Scotland, and subsequent announcement of a partial reprieve for ten branches. Continue reading Set a date, Scottish Affairs Committee tells RBS chief
8,400 apprenticeships positions currently waiting to be filled 
8,400 apprenticeship vacancies currently advertised, but long way to go to meet UK government target of 3 million vacancies by 2020
Opportunities around the UK far from equal, with London and the South East having most vacancies
Average advertised salary for apprenticeships positions of £14,759 across UK
Law apprenticeships most lucrative, offering average salary of £23,900, the highest of any sector, followed by Engineering at £22,500
IT apprentices most widely advertised with 1,100 openings currently on offer, followed by Hospitality & Catering (1,050) and Teaching (740)
With National Apprenticeship Week in full swing, almost 8,400 apprenticeship positions are currently up for grabs, according to new research by job search-engine Adzuna. Continue reading 8400 apprenticeship vacancies across the UK
AN AMBITIOUS pilot scheme with DVSA test centres has been launched in Edinburgh in a bid to reduce the staggering numbers of young drivers and passengers involved in major incidents. Continue reading Devastating stats jump-start pilot scheme For Edinburgh’s learner drivers
Youth work service 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café has been awarded a £15,000 grant from the Scottish Children’s Lottery. Continue reading Edinburgh City Youth Cafe awarded £15,000 by Scottish Children’s Lottery
An Edinburgh Napier entrepreneur is making a big bang in the healthy foods market with her new alternative to popcorn. Sydney Chasin – founder of The Healthy Crop – officially launched her lil’POP snack this week. Continue reading lil’POP makes big bang in healthy snack market
Do you know somebody aged 26 and under who is doing exceptional things in Scotland’s thriving food and drink industry?
Organisers of the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards are calling for people to embrace the Year of Young People 2018 and enter those demonstrating passion and talent in the food and drink industry for the prestigious Young Talent award before entries close this Friday (9 March). Continue reading The search is on for the food and drink industry’s best Young Talent
International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has paid tribute to MP Jo Cox’s humanitarian work and called for everyone to “raise their game” to make gender equality a reality, ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day.
Speaking today at the headquarters of mobile technology industry association the GSMA, in the City of London, Ms Mordaunt will announce new UK aid support to help grassroots organisations working on issues that were close to Jo’s heart.
Ms Mordaunt will also call for everyone to step up and make gender equality a reality, as part of the Department for International Development’s (DFID) new vision to make sure the voices of women and girls in the world’s poorest countries are heard.
The International Development Secretary will say that if progress on gender equality is not sped up, the Global Goals will not be met by 2030.
Speaking ahead of her speech, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: “Jo (pictured above) was a dedicated humanitarian who fought for gender equality at home and in developing countries and her passion and commitment will continue to support the world’s most disadvantaged and disenfranchised women through these new UK aid grants.
“The MeToo movement has sent shockwaves around the world and given a voice to millions of women, but the majority of women and girls in the poorest countries are still not heard.
“We all have the power to change this injustice and that’s why UK aid is keeping girls in school, stamping out violence and giving a voice to women both at home and in shaping the future of their countries. It is only by everyone raising their game and making gender equality a reality that we will build a more peaceful, safe and prosperous world for us all.”
The Jo Cox Memorial Grants will be given to projects in developing countries that are working to get the voices of girls and women heard when holding power-holders to account, helping them find jobs and become financially independent and making access to family planning services easier. The fund will also help strengthen grassroots organisations’ capacity for predicting identity-based violence earlier.
Jo Cox’s sister Kim Leadbeater said: “It’s wonderful to have the Jo Cox Memorial Grants being launched today – for every life that is touched by these grants, they will make a real difference and they will be money well spent.
“It’s so fitting to have these grants created in Jo’s name, which will reach a range of different countries and projects that encompass Jo’s passion for both women’s empowerment and bringing local communities together.
“Jo spent 20 years working in the voluntary sector and working overseas. These grants are a reminder of that and a reminder of her passion and her determination to hopefully inspire others with similar desires. Jo would be over the moon.”
In her speech, Ms Mordaunt will set out that DFID has taken the lead in tackling sexual abuse and exploitation within the aid sector and acknowledge that these incidents would not be so widespread if women and girls had an equal place at the table.
There are three areas in Ms Mordaunt’s call to action that DFID will focus on through the new Strategic Vision for Gender Equality:
Ms Mordaunt will deliver her speech at GSMA to highlight that technology will be vital in making sure the voices of women and girls in the world’s poorest countries are heard.
DFID is supporting the GSMA to narrow the gender gap on mobile phone ownership in order to unlock the benefits that mobile and internet can bring, for example giving women access to financial services, educational resources and digital health services.
You can celebrate International Women’s Day at a free event at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre today. The celebration kicks off from 10am – all welcome
FREE EVENT
Wednesday 7 March 10am – 2.30pm including lunch
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre
The push by employers to recruit more apprentices is on track to deliver 27,000 new Modern Apprenticeship starts by the end of this year, the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has revealed. To end of December 2017, more than 18,700 apprentices were recorded as having started training across the country. Continue reading Scotland on track to recruit 27,000 Modern Apprentices
Two of the capital’s youth workers have been nominated for Scotland’s National Youth Work Awards for their work in bringing local young people and the wider community together. Coral Riddell, Prince’s Trust, based in Juniper Green and Katie Horsburgh, who leads the 193b City of Edinburgh Guides, have both been shortlisted for Volunteer of the Year.
Coral (above, right) volunteers as a Mentor with The Prince’s Trust, supporting young people to overcome barriers, believe in themselves and unlock their potential. Her commitment to one-to-one youth work means every young person she works with has secured a positive outcome, moving on to training or employment.
We can’t say it better than Lucy, a young woman Coral mentored in 2017. When they first met, Lucy had no confidence and was struggling to find work – now she’s a Visitor Assistant at the Scotch Whisky Experience, leading tours for hundreds of guests every day.
Lucy said: “When I first met Coral, I was anxious and lacked self-belief. Now I feel like a different person… She has truly inspired me and her mentoring has helped me to discover who I am as a person and how to follow my heart in everything I do.”
If there’s a fiercer advocate for girls and young woman in Scotland than Katie Horsburgh, then we haven’t found them.
Every week, Katie (above) volunteers as a Young Leader with the 193rd B City of Edinburgh Guides and leads girls in a wide range of activities, challenges and adventures. But at just 17, she is also fast becoming a high-profile campaigner for young women’s rights. Katie volunteers as an Advocate, representing Girlguiding nationally to speak out on a wide range of issues from period poverty to media sexism. As part of a national campaign to end sexual harassment in schools, Katie created a powerful film about girls’ experiences – she won a John Byrne Award for her creative efforts.
Most recently, Katie was invited to join the First Minister’s Advisory Council for Women and Girls where she’ll represent the views of Girlguiding Scotland’s 50,000 young members.
Commenting, CEO of YouthLink Scotland, Jim Sweeney MBE said: “We want to celebrate young people and the youth workers who make a difference. Coral Riddell and Katie Horsburgh are an incredible illustration of youth work that literally changes lives.
“In every part of Scotland, every day, thousands of youth workers, many of them volunteers, are supporting young people to follow their dreams and realise their potential. At the heart of these Awards will be the voices of our young people, telling their youth work story.”
The National Youth Work Awards 2018 will be one of the events that celebrate Scotland’s first-ever Year of Young People. This national event, co-designed with young people, will showcase their amazing talents and will recognise the impact of youth workers on the lives of young people.
The Awards are all about celebrating the power of young people and the vital role of Scotland’s 80,000 youth work volunteers and staff in the lives of our young people.
Rachael McCully, aged 21 and Steven Mann, aged 23, from the YOYP Communic18 group, who are involved in co-designing the Awards said: “The National Youth Work Awards lets us celebrate the truly life changing work our youth workers are carrying out on a daily basis. It’s time for them to be recognised for the unbelievable work they do for the young people across the nation. We have the great pleasure of co-designing the awards this year and we are hoping to make it the best year so far.”
Minister for Childcare & Early Years Ms Maree Todd MSP said: “As part of the consultation for Year of Young People 2018, young people highlighted that they want to celebrate the important role supporting adults have on their lives. Thousands of young people across Scotland have silent champions, who work behind the scenes to raise aspirations and build young people’s confidence and skills.
“The National Youth Work Awards will provide an excellent platform during Year of Young People 2018 to shine a light on the life-changing role youth workers, volunteers and staff make to Scotland’s young people.”
The National Youth Work Awards will be held on Thursday 15 March 2018 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow, hosted by Deputy First Minister, John Swinney MSP.
To get involved visit the YouthLink Scotland website at www.youthlinkscotland.org
