Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop joined young filmmakers, musicians and dancers who are developing their career skills thanks to the confiscated funds from criminal activity.
Over the last three years £2.25 million has been invested in CashBack for Creativity, providing over 15,000 opportunities for young people in Scotland to participate in arts activities they would not have otherwise had access to.
Ms Hyslop said: “The real impact of CashBack on young people’s lives can’t be expressed by statistics or in stark monetary terms – CashBack changes lives.
“The CashBack for Communities Programme takes funds recovered from the proceeds of crime and invests them in back into communities, putting young people on a positive path in life by providing opportunities for them to take part in thousands of free activities and projects.”
Programme participants have included Yutsil Martinez, who began in making short films with Pilton-based Screen Education Edinburgh project in 2011. Yutsil has gone on to star in the Screen Education film, Man With No Name, and was nominated for the Chris Anderson Award for Best Young Filmmaker 2013 (sponsored by the National Youth Film Academy). He was awarded an acting scholarship at the National Film Youth Academy in London after winning a Best Actor award at the event.
Yutsil said: “Participating in these projects and shoots has allowed me to find opportunities and meet other filmmakers and professionals in the field. The CashBack for Creativity Programme has been instrumental in helping me build my confidence and really develop my passion for working in the industry, and carve a future career for myself.”
Paul Reynolds earned a placement at Edinburgh’s DanceBase through the CashBack for Creativity Programmewhere and he discovered a passion for dance and performing arts. Attending DanceBase and developing as a dancer taught Paul new skills that he believes will see him through life. He now has a love of being on stage and performing for a big audience describing the feeling and rush he gets from performing as “incredible”.
Paul said: “Only a few years ago I struggled to talk to people I’d never met before and I had little confidence and self-esteem, but with my participation at DanceBase through CashBack, I am now more confident and focused regarding what I want from life.”
Leonie Bell, Director of Arts and Engagement at Creative Scotland, said: “Providing opportunities for young people to get involved in the arts, theatre and cultural activities can help improve confidence and broaden their horizons.
“Over the next three years, the CashBack for Creativity programme will enable approximately 20,000 young would-be filmmakers, dancers, musicians, artists, actors, writers and digital enthusiasts to work in professional settings with experienced practitioners, helping to inspire them to achieve their potential in their future careers.
She added: “I was delighted to meet a number of young participants who have been given the chance to work on interesting and educational CashBack projects and develop their personal, social and career skills.”
CashBack for Creativity is part of the wider Scottish Government CashBack for Communities programme. To date over £74 million has been made available to benefit over 600,000 young people in Scotland since CashBack for Communities began in 2011.
Single markets in electricity and gas covering the whole of Great Britain should continue if Scotland became independent, a new report has said. First Minister Alex Salmond has welcomed the report from the independent Expert Commission on Energy Regulation and said that Scotland needs a ‘radical approach’ to tackle fuel poverty.
The commission, which examined possible regulation of energy markets in an independent Scotland, says independence would give Scotland new powers to tackle fuel poverty, high energy costs and prices. It also highlights that a single GB energy market is the best option for consumers in Scotland, England and Wales.
The Commission’s report will be discussed by industry experts at a meeting of the Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) in Aberdeen today. Speaking ahead of the meeting the First Minister, said:
“This is a detailed and authoritative report and I am grateful to Robert Armour and his fellow Commissioners for their time, expertise and dedication. The Commission rightly recognises that independence will give Scotland new powers to tackle fuel poverty and reduce the impact of high energy costs and prices.
“This Government will continue to build on all its achievements in delivering energy efficiency and cost effectiveness and continue to improve delivery to disadvantaged and vulnerable consumers. The report rightly highlights that independence will open up new possibilities which could better address Scotland’s energy needs, and recognises that it is in our common interest to share energy resources across our borders.
“Scotland is a resource rich country and it offers safe and secure supplies of electricity and gas, and can continue to assist the rest of the UK in meeting its legally-binding renewable energy targets.
“It’s clear that a strategic energy partnership between our governments after independence represents the best outcome for all concerned and the Commission has clearly identified examples from across Europe – in Ireland, Iberia and Scandinavia – which show that this can be done.”
The Commission, comprising energy industry, consumer experts and academics, and headed by senior counsel and former SCDI chairman Robert Armour, was set up last year to offer independent advice on energy in an independent Scotland. Robert Armour, Chair of the Expert Commission, said:
“In the event of independence there are undoubtedly issues that will have to be settled between the two administrations. We share a common integrated system and have a common interest in energy security. Looking to Europe and beyond we found working models of cross-border partnerships delivering jointly-regulated integrated markets that show single markets can work with goodwill and cooperation.
“Eradicating fuel poverty has proved an intractable challenge. We believe a more radical approach is now needed. We see an opportunity to better target delivery to disadvantaged and vulnerable consumers through accessing data already held on social need. In the future we will be able to take this approach further using the improved data that will come from the roll out of smart meters.
“Scotland’s natural potential makes it a cost-efficient place to develop renewable resources. We see a benefit to both Scotland and the rest of the UK in enabling this economically efficient development of renewable potential to continue.”
The Commission’s report highlights:
A continuing single GB energy market, which the Scottish Government has consistently supported, is the best outcome for consumers and investors in Scotland, England and Wales.
Working models of combined energy markets, built on partnerships between separate countries and Governments, exist across Europe.
An independent Scotland will need its own energy regulator, and that the Scottish Government’s combined regulatory model could successfully deliver this.
The existing costs of renewable support mechanisms at the point of independence should continue to be spread across GB as at present.
Importance of continued efforts and additional measures to tackle fuel poverty and energy efficiency.
Green Yes, the Scottish Green Party’s campaign for a Yes vote in the independence referendum, also welcomed the report recommending that an independent Scotland remain part of the GB-wide market for electricity and gas.
A Green Yes briefing on jobs points out that more than 11,000 people are already employed in the renewables industry and most firms are expecting to grow. Scotland has the offshore engineering skills to make marine renewables a success and create thousands more jobs in construction, grid development and research.
Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and a member of Holyrood’s economy and energy committee, said:
“Energy is an issue that all countries are facing up to, and with our renewables potential Scotland has a chance to generate not just what we need but also energy for export to enable our neighbours to meet their low carbon targets. Encouraging the trading of energy not just within these islands but across the North Sea makes sense, and I see a Scottish Parliament with responsibility for energy policy much more likely to prioritise these issues.
“By contrast Westminster is locking us in to new nuclear with its massive costs and toxic legacy, and a dash for fracked gas that risks our local environment and our carbon budget. What today’s report from the Expert Commission on Energy Regulation underlines is that it’s sensible to co-operate on such a crucial issue but it’s vital that Scotland gets to decide the direction it wants to go in.”
The Scottish Parliament has voted to end the right to buy social housing. The Housing (Scotland) Bill passed at Holyrood yesterday will prevent the sale of up to 15,500 social houses over the next ten years and support improvements to the private rented sector. Housing charities have welcomed the decision.
The Bill will end the Right to Buy social housing in Scotland over the next two years, giving tenants time to consider their options and find financial advice if they want to exercise their right to buy their home
The legislation will establish a private rented sector tribunal which gives tenants and landlords access to specialist justice and allow them to resolve disputes more effectively.
Changes to mobile home site licensing will also improve the rights of over 3,000 households, many of whom are elderly, living permanently in mobile or park homes across Scotland.
Other measures in the Bill include introducing a regulatory framework for letting agents and giving local authorities new discretionary powers to tackle poor housing conditions in the private sector.
Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said: “This is a historic day for housing as it marks the end of Right to Buy social housing in Scotland.
“Stakeholders from across the sector have given this legislation widespread support as they recognise that we have put together a package of measures which will help improve housing in the social, private rented and owner-occupied sectors.
“Today I put forward a number of amendments to the letting agent provisions in the Bill to provide a robust regulatory framework that will ensure consistent and high standards of service for tenants and landlords across Scotland.
“I am very grateful to all those who have contributed their views on the Bill over the last nine months and more. But legislation is only one of many actions that this Government is taking to improve housing in Scotland.
“This government continues to invest in affordable housing. Earlier this week the First Minister confirmed we have invested £1 billion in affordable housing since April 2011, putting us well on track to delivering an additional 30,000 homes across Scotland by March 2016. This investment is supporting 8,000 jobs in each year of the five-year parliamentary term.
“This Bill is a landmark step forward for housing. With the full powers of independence we will have greater control to tailor our grants and housing supply investment, and to integrate housing and welfare policies to meet the needs of our communities and the homebuilding industry in Scotland.”
Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government introduced the right to buy policy in 1980 and it has proved to be very popular in Scotland – around 534,000 tenants have taken advantage of the scheme to purchase their homes at a discounted rate from their local council or social landlord.
But while Right-to-Buy was a hit with buyers, the loss – and non-replacement – of prime social housing has meant even longer waiting lists for tenants, and housing charities and social housing organisations have welcomed the decision to scrap the scheme.
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations’ Andy Young said the Right-to-Buy policy had ‘no place in 21st century Scotland’.
“Right-to-buy has been beneficial to a relatively small number of individuals, but clearly a loss to the greater public good”, he said. “Around 500,000 social rented homes have been lost in the 35 years of this policy in Scotland, very often the better stock in the more popular areas.”
A record number of schools are meeting PE targets but Scottish Greens say the government must try harder …
New National Statistics released today (Tuesday 17 June) show that 96 per cent of Scottish schools are now meeting the target of delivering two hours, or two periods, of physical education each week to pupils, with 98 per cent expecting to be on target by August.
The figure has risen from 89 per cent last year, and just 10 per cent in 2004/05, as more schools across the country meet the national target.
This year’s survey of local authorities also asked whether schools not currently hitting the target will meet it from the start of the new school year. Survey results show 98 per cent of schools expect to meet the target from this August.
The figures come as COSLA and Cabinet Secretary for Sport, Shona Robison, jointly published the new Sport Strategy for Children and Young People – Giving Children and Young People a Sporting Chance – that is backed by almost £6 million of investment over 2014-16. The Strategy sets out a plan to ensure that Scotland is a great environment for children and young people to embark on lifelong participation in sport.
Speaking at the launch of the East Lothian Primary Games, Ms Robison, said: “Today’s figures highlight the excellent progress that is being made across Scottish schools. In 2004/05 only 10 per cent of schools were meeting the recommended target of two hours, or two periods, of PE each week. Now we are at an outstanding 96 per cent, and we expect that to rise to 98 per cent by August, with just 41 schools still to meet the target out of 2419 schools across Scotland.
“Scotland is striving to become a healthier, more active nation and we will continue to work with COSLA, Education Scotland, and sportscotland to build on this performance.”
Investment of almost £6 million through Education Scotland and sportscotland between 2014-16 to support delivery of the target was a key feature of the draft Youth Sport Strategy published in December.
Ms Robison added: “I am delighted to launch this strategy. It has been shaped by the Young People’s Sport Panel, and informed by the views of almost 3,000 children and young people.
“The strategy highlights the importance of putting the views of children and young people at the heart of delivery and provides a framework for collaborative working to deliver their sporting aspirations.”
Councillor Harry McGuigan, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing said: “COSLA is delighted to be launching Scotland’s sport strategy for children and young people in partnership with the Scottish Government.
“We want our children and young people to participate in and enjoy sport, but we need to create the right opportunities and we must celebrate their talents and successes. It is our collective responsibility to realise the aim of lifelong participation in sport.
“Councils provide nearly 90 per cent of public sector investment in sport, including the delivery of the community sports hubs. Local authorities and leisure trusts make a huge contribution to the delivery of Scotland’s sport, providing opportunities through a wide range of activities and provision, to achieve better outcomes for our children and young people.”
However far from congratulating the government on it’s achievements, Green Party Education spokesperson Alison Johnstone is renewing her call for action she says the latest figures show a further drop in secondary schools meeting targets for physical education!
The Greens say the percentage has dropped to 90 per cent, compared to 91 last year and 92 in 2012. The lowest figure, of just 33 per cent of secondary schools achieving 100 minutes of PE per week, was recorded by East Lothian. In many local authority areas there is a significant drop between S2 and S3.
Alison Johnstone MSP said: “To see a further drop is a real worry and suggests the Scottish Government has taken its eye off the ball. We need proper facilities and proper coaching so that exercise remains attractive and enjoyable as our young people progress through the school system.
“Given the increasing warnings around diabetes and obesity, and all the talk of creating a national sporting legacy, I strongly urge ministers to look carefully at what can be done to improve performance in S3 and S4. And I would ask East Lothian Council to outline what support they need to enable their schools to do better.”
Thousands of Scotland’s most disadvantaged children, young people and families are set to benefit from £15 million new funding over the next year, Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell has announced.
The Scottish Government will invest £10 million to continue the Third Sector Early Intervention Fund for 2015-16 to support voluntary groups working to give children the best start in life, for example through projects to tackle poverty, promote parenting skills and encourage family support for learning.
An additional £5 million will be made available to allow strategic funding partnerships (SFPs) that were established in 2013 to help the government and public sector partners improve outcomes for young people and their families to be extended through to spring 2016.
Ms Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People said: “We are working to give every child in Scotland the best start in life. That’s why we’re extending funded early learning and childcare, making free school meals available for every child in P1 to P3 and strengthening how public services work together to support children and families and ensure our most disadvantaged young people are not left behind.
“We’re also committed to supporting a capable, sustainable and enterprising third sector. This new funding will help deliver a wide range of projects to support families and empower communities, improving the life chances of children across the country and moving us closer to our shared vision of making Scotland the best place to grow up.”
A £20 million Third Sector Early Intervention Fund was established in early 2013, with 96 awards made for a range of organisations and projects. A further 45 organisations received support through SFPs to enhance or develop work focussed on supporting the needs of young people and their families. Both funding streams run over two years, up to March 2015.
One of those groups currently funded, One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS), has received a total of £709,284 from the Third Sector Early Intervention Fund.
OPFS Director Satwat Rehman said: “We received core funding which has been invaluable in ensuring we can have the information, advice and systems in place across the organisation to work with single parents and their children and respond to the issues they tell us they need support with such as debt and money advice, family and parenting support and childcare, ultimately improving outcomes for children at greatest risk of not achieving their potential due to the effects of poverty.
“We also received project funding to work with single fathers and contact fathers to work with them and help them support their children through positive activities and interactions as well as support the fathers to be more involved in local activities and groups thereby reducing the isolation they and their children experience”.
Among other projects currently being supported are Mellow Parenting, which has been able to establish eight new Dad’s groups across Scotland to improve parental attachment between fathers and their children; Mind Mosaic, which has provided play therapy to 25 children and young people and family support to 32 parents/carers and 9 kinship carers; and Dyslexia Scotland, which is providing high-quality advice, support and information to young people, and those who support them.
The funding has also been able to support organisations to work in partnership to add value to their activities. So far well over 3,500 families facing significant challenges have been supported.
The Third Sector Early Intervention Fund (TSEIF) was established in early 2013 and is administered by The Big Fund in Scotland. Today’s funding announcement means that the TSEIF and current SFPs will continue for a further year until March 2016.
Further information on the new funding will be published by the Scottish Government next month.
North Edinburgh’s MY Adventure and Fresh Start are among eight Edinburgh-based third sector projects to receive a share of £2.1m enterprise funding, it was announced today.
Enterprising third sector organisations will benefit from a further £2.1 million in grants to help them deliver services to vulnerable people in communities across Scotland. The cash, spread between 28 organisations, will be awarded through the Enterprise Ready Fund.
Finance Secretary John Swinney and Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess visited Dalry Primary School, to see first hand the work of My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd, one of the projects to receive a finance boost through the fund.
Mr Swinney said: “I would like to congratulate all the 28 organisations that have been successful in securing their share of the £2.1 million made available through the latest Enterprise Ready Fund round of awards.
“Each and every one of the recipients are working in their own unique way to become more self-sufficient but more importantly for me, they are creating change at a local level.
“These organisations are excellent examples of how the sector is helping to create a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. This investment will help them deliver important services and opportunities to people across the country.
“My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd is a great example of an organisation providing training and employment opportunities to young people who are struggling to find work.
“We are working hard to address these employment challenges for young people through our Opportunities for All, which guarantees everyone aged between 16 and 19 is offered a place in training or education. We have also created thousands of additional Modern Apprenticeship places bringing our total target to 30,000 every year by 2020.”
The Enterprise Ready Fund gives priority to applications that mitigate the effects of welfare reform in Scotland.
Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess said: “For My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd this award will give them the opportunity to expand their service and increase their engagement.
“While we are already doing so much to mitigate the effects of welfare reform in Scotland, with independence, a welfare system aligned to our education system can address child poverty and educational under-achievement.
“We want to develop a society that not only provides fair support and decent opportunities for all but also protects the vulnerable in our society. The only way to guarantee that is to have possession of the powers to deliver it.”
The fund is being delivered by a consortium of third sector organisations led by Foundation Scotland in partnership with Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEiS), Developing Strathclyde Ltd (DSL) and Social Value Lab.
Foundation Scotland’s Chief Executive Giles Ruck said: “We have been impressed with the wide range and quality of applications we have received so far, which showcase the innovative ways organisations plan to use their awards to make a real difference to the people and communities they serve.
“I would like to encourage new or developing third sector organisations who are considering applying to the Enterprise Ready Fund to do so before the final closing date of 16th of June.”
Case study: My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd
My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd provides sustainable short and long term personal development, training and employment opportunities for young people disadvantaged in the labour market. This may be through a combination of factors such as poor literacy skills, a history of anti-social behaviour, limited or no qualifications, or physical or mental health issues.
The organisation works with individuals to train and recruit them to deliver My Adventure’s range of commercial activities, for example climbing, cycling, coasteering, camping and equipment hire.
My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd has two full-time staff, three part-time staff, five sessional workers and two volunteers. The organisation will use the Enterprise Ready Fund award of £48,716 to expand its services within the corporate market. It will enable the organisation to purchase a minibus, and recruit a new member of staff who will focus on securing new corporate contracts.
It is expected that the investment will increase engagement and participation by up to 100 young people. The experience, confidence and skills gained by them will improve their chances of gaining long term employment, and improve the sustainability of the organisation, making it less reliant on grant funding in the future.
Jonny Kinross from My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd said: “This ERF grant will help ensure the sustainability and growth of My Adventure. By investing in a specific Corporate Sales and Marketing Manager we will be able to forge links with new customers, deliver fantastic opportunities to our clients and most importantly, drive our social impact forward – creating more training and job opportunities for young people.
“This investment will change the lives of 12 young people, who were furthest from the labour market when they joined our team and enable them to deliver activities locally to in excess of 100 children and young people as well as become confident enough to deliver to the corporate sector.
“By investing in social enterprise the Scottish Government is not just ensuring we meet these outcomes this year but will ensure we benefit the people of Muirhouse for years to come.”
The full list of Enterprise Ready Fund awards (Orgamisation, amount and local authority area) announced today:
Almond Valley Heritage Trust £103,772 West Lothian
Atholl Baptist Centre Ltd £117,343 Perth & Kinross
Canongate Youth Project £53,122 City of Edinburgh
Carrick Centre £32,439 South Ayrshire
Community Enterprise £138,632 West Lothian
Community Food Initiatives North East £144,691 Aberdeen City
COPE Ltd £112,312 Shetland Islands
Crossroads (Fife Central) Care Attendant Scheme £64,714 Fife
Footprints Connect £47,900 Aberdeen City
Forth Sector £250,000 City of Edinburgh
Forth Valley Social Enterprises £48,966 Forth Valley
Freespace £79,782 City of Edinburgh
Fresh Start (Scotland) £65,965 City of Edinburgh
Glasgow Watersports £47,374 Glasgow
LINKnet Mentoring £37,250 City of Edinburgh
Livingston Credit Union £33,940 West Lothian
Locavore £50,000 Glasgow
Maryhill Mobile Creche £73,931 Glasgow
My Adventure (Edinburgh) Ltd £48,716 City of Edinburgh
New Caledonian Woodlands £76,110 City of Edinburgh
Promoters Art Network £50,000 Highland
Senscot Legal £54,250 City of Edinburgh
Skidaddle £50,000 Stirling
Social Enterprise in East Lothian £99,376 East Lothian
Spruce Carpets £88,550 Glasgow
Theatre Nemo £47,061 Glasgow
Twechar Community Action £32,469 East Dunbartonshire
Whiteinch Centre Ltd £88,280 Glasgow
Further information and full details of the Enterprise Ready Fund can be found at: http://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/grants-and-funding-for-organisations/what-grants-are-available/enterprise-ready-fund.aspx
John Swinney launches new £16 million fund at Spartans
Cabinet Secretary John Swinney and Social Investment Scotland (SIS) visited The Spartans Community Football Academy on Thursday to formally announce the launch of a new £16m Social Growth Fund.
The Social Growth Fund, run by Social Investment Scotland (SIS), brings together an investment of £8m from the Scottish Government and a further £8m from Big Society Capital, the independent financial institution set up to develop social investment in the UK.
SIS is using the fund to expand existing investment activity within Scotland’s third sector, and to launch a new risk capital product for the Scottish social investment marketplace. This will provide long-term finance from £10,000 to £1m with repayments tailored to each organisation’s needs.
Alastair Davis, chief executive of SIS, said the new fund will enable it to provide considerably more support to social enterprises and community businesses across Scotland.
He said: “This funding support will in turn help these local organisations improve the lives of people within their communities by making them much more self-sufficient and sustainable.”
John Swinney said Spartans, which currently receives SIS support, is a good example of how this kind of funding works to better communities.
The Cabinet Secretary said: “I am delighted that the new Social Growth Fund for Scotland is now open for applications. This is an exciting opportunity for third sector organisations in Scotland, allowing them to continue their vital work within our local communities.
“Today I have seen the great work that has been achieved by the Spartans Community Football Academy in the local area, with police and youth groups noting a huge reduction in call outs and antisocial behaviour. The facilities here at Spartans show what can be done with the type of funding the Social Growth Fund will provide.
“Through schemes such as this, social enterprises will be able to have a greater role going forward, bringing more benefits to the communities they serve.”
In tandem with this new funding, SIS has also launched a Great Social Enterprise Tour – visiting five cities in five days next week – to raise awareness of the Social Growth Fund amongst local social enterprises across Scotland. The events will provide social enterprises with a chance to speak directly to an investment manager about how social investment can support the sustainability of their business.
Monday 12 May – Glasgow: The Lighthouse, 10am till 12pm
Tuesday 13 May – Edinburgh: Out Of The Blue, 10.30am till 12.30pm
Wednesday 14 May – Inverness: The Spectrum Centre, 1 – 3pm
Thursday 15 May – Aberdeen: Transition Extreme, 12.30 – 2.30pm
Friday 16 May – Dundee: The Factory Skatepark – 12.30pm till 2.30pm.
Alastair Davis, Chief Executive of Social Investment Scotland, added: “The Social Growth Fund will enable us to provide considerably more support to social enterprises and community businesses across Scotland. This funding support will in turn help these local organisations improve the lives of people within their communities by making them much more self-sufficient and sustainable.
“However, we also recognise that applying for funding can be a daunting prospect for many organisations, as it frequently represents a change in the way they do business, moving from grant dependency to a mix of income streams. Our Great Social Enterprise Tour is aimed at addressing this uncertainty by providing social enterprises with the answers they need to start moving their organisations on to the next level to create longer lasting social impacts.”
Nick O’Donohoe, Chief Executive of Big Society Capital, added: “Social Investment Scotland is a leading example of how regional social finance managers can play an important role in helping charities and social enterprises to access social investment, through their deep knowledge of the needs and challenges of a local area. They have an exceptional track record of delivering social investment support to organisations in Scotland, and we are pleased to have been able to help them to continue doing this.”
Big Society Capital’s investment in Social Investment Scotland is the first of its kind in Scotland since its formation last year, and will increase Social Investment Scotland’s funds under management by a third. It is the largest investment in SIS for twelve years and the largest ever investment by an external organisation.
Organisations who are looking for investment should call a member of SIS’ investment team on 0131 558 7706 to discuss possible funding or support.
Case Study: Spartans Community Football Academy
The Spartans Community Football Academy is a social enterprise and charity located at Ainslie Park in North Edinburgh which uses sport to deliver social change. Their local community includes some of the most deprived post codes in Scotland. With support from Social Investment Scotland, the Spartans have invested £4.5m in the last 5 years to build first class facilities and services which generate commercial income, the profits from which are re-invested to deliver their charitable objectives.
In the past 15 months, Spartans business has continued to grow, enabling them to increase their social impact. Some recent highlights are:
Delivery of 1000+ hours of youth work based provision in 2013, including the Friday FooTEA club, where young people can enjoy a ‘hot meal’, take part in various activities and develop/grow at their own pace (a model which has been rolled-out & replicated elsewhere across the country)
Delivery of 850+ physical activity and coaching sessions in local schools in 2013, helping them to meet their 2 hours of PE target per week
Creation of 4 x Homework Clubs – using a ‘Game of 2 Halves’ model – in local primary schools, helping local schools to increase academic attainment levels
Over 1200 sign-ups for our community coaching programmes in 2013, catering for recreational -> elite players
Over 100,000 users of our range of Academy facilities in 2013
Runner up in the Scottish Social Enterprise of the Year 2013 awards
25,000 young people set to benefit from seized proceeds of crime this year
The Scottish Government has announced that more than £2 million is to be invested to create life-changing opportunities for vulnerable young people.
The CashBack for Communities funding will be invested by national youth work agency, YouthLink Scotland, over the next three years in projects that will empower and guide Scotland’s young people towards a more positive future.
It’s estimated that around 25,000 young people will be able to access new opportunities in each of the three years as a result of the new funding. This will continue the support of the youth work that has already provided 330,000 opportunities for young people and created a 73,000-strong army of volunteers and workers.
Minister for Children & Young People Aileen Campbell welcomed the news yesterday when she visited the Green Shoots project – on the same day the recently-published National Youth Work Strategy Scotland was debated in the Scottish Parliament.
Green Shoots – a 12-week programme that gives young people at risk of becoming involved in antisocial behaviour or alcohol and drug dependency the opportunity to take part in community-based environmental volunteering – is a great example of criminals’ ill-gotten gains being used for the benefit of communities.
Ms Campbell said: “Youth work is a hugely effective force for good for hundreds of thousands of people and the perfect way to reinvest the CashBack for Communities funding. This money will help offer activities, skills and training opportunities and, most importantly, a place to turn for many young people facing difficulties or at a crossroads in their lives.
“Investment in youth work is not just the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do. I am lucky to have seen first-hand the difference youth projects make in giving young people confidence to make their voice heard, seize the opportunities in front of them and make the right decisions for themselves and their families.”
Jim Sweeney, CEO, YouthLink Scotland, said: “Over the last five years, CashBack for Communities has created a generation of local superheroes, giving power back to young people and their communities by using the cash seized from criminals as a force for positive change.
“This money has helped young people access life-changing youth work opportunities which has given them more optimism for the future and has proved to many young people that they can achieve their ambitions despite difficult life circumstances.”
Since 2007, over £74 million of money seized through the Proceeds of Crime Act has been put to excellent use through CashBack for Communities, funding around 1.2 million activities and opportunities for young people.
High-quality nursery education helps improve performance at school at all ages, a Scottish Government research paper highlighted today.
In 100 days, families will start to benefit from an increase in the amount of funded early learning and childcare available for three and four-year-olds in Scotland – rising from 12.5 hours per week to almost 16 hours.
The same entitlement will, for the first time, be extended to over a quarter (27 per cent) of two-year-olds over the next two years – with those from workless or job-seeking households being among the first to benefit from expanded provision, starting from August 12.
Ministers have also set out in ‘Scotland’s Future’ how they would use the powers of independence to transform provision through a universal system of pre-school childcare.
Today’s paper – drawing on the findings of three major studies, which are supported by other research work – highlights evidence that:
• Pre-school experience enhances all-round development in children – and may particularly benefit disadvantaged children – with improved cognitive development, sociability and concentration when starting primary school.
• The positive effect of attending higher quality pre-school settings on children’s subsequent outcomes in reading and mathematics is evident at age 10, even accounting for the influence of background factors.
• The benefits of early education and childcare can persist into secondary school – with European research showing that, in most countries, pupils at age 15 who attended pre-school education programmes tend to perform better than those who have not.
Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell (pictured above) said: “By improving access to affordable, high-quality early learning and childcare we will deliver many benefits for Scotland, not least – as this research paper highlights – boosting children’s performance all the way through to secondary school. That’s why we’re investing in a skilled workforce and working with local authorities and partner providers to ensure that quality remains at the heart of our plans.
“In 100 days, with investment of more than a quarter of a billion pounds over two years, we will take further steps towards our ambition to transform early learning and childcare. By doing so in a well-managed, phased and sustainable way, we will support children and families both in their immediate circumstances and for their longer-term aspirations.
“With a 45 per cent increase in funded pre-school entitlement since 2007, backed by our investment in the workforce, an independent review of future skills and capacity, and capital investment of £91 million over the next two years, we are using the resources available to us now to build the foundations for the transformational change in early learning and childcare that we can deliver with the powers and resources of independence.”
Commenting on the paper, Jackie Brock, Chief Executive of Children in Scotland, said: “This paper is a helpful summary of both the national and international evidence which underpins Children in Scotland’s belief that good quality pre-school care and learning makes a significant contribution to a child’s development.
“This demonstrates, undeniably, that quality early education and care has advantages for every child but is especially important as one measure to eliminate Scotland’s inequalities in educational attainment.”
Early Years Taskforce member and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, added: “With 100 days to go until the expansion of nursery education this sound research is a reminder to parents about the real value of early education. It shows that nursery education, especially before the age of three, has long term benefits right through school.
“As a Liberal I know that investing in education, especially early education, can change lives and give great opportunities for people to get on in the world. This new research will give a further boost to our efforts for all. I would urge every two year old eligible for the new entitlement of over fifteen hours a week of nursery education be registered so they can take full advantage of the real benefits.”
Calls to reduce the timescale for abolishing Right to Buy social housing have been answered by Housing Minister Margaret Burgess during the Stage 1 debate on the Housing (Scotland) Bill. Mrs Burgess announced that the government will amend the notice period for Right to Buy from three to two years after the date the Bill receives Royal Assent.
The Bill, which was introduced to Parliament in November will enhance housing conditions, retain much needed social housing for people in Scotland and safeguard social and private tenants.
The Minister said: “I am grateful to the Infrastructure and Capital Investment (ICI) Committee for its endorsement of the principles in the Housing Bill and for acknowledging that these measures will improve housing in the social, private rented and owner-occupied sectors.
“Increasing the supply of social housing is essential and that is why we want to end the Right to Buy.
“I have now taken on board the ICI Committee’s concerns that the proposed three-year timescale to abolish Right to Buy is too long. Going forward we will reduce the period to two years which will give tenants time to consider their options and find financial advice if they want to exercise their right to buy their home.
“These measures will protect up to 15,500 social houses from sale over a ten-year period and safeguard social housing stock for future generations.
“With 185,000 people on waiting lists for council and housing association houses, we can no longer afford to see the social sector lose out on badly needed homes.”
Other measures in the Bill include:
* establishing a new housing tribunal to consider private rented housing cases.
* introducing regulation of letting agents.
* strengthening the licencing regime for mobile homes sites with permanent residents.
* giving local authorities new discretionary powers to tackle poor housing conditions in the private sector.
Mrs Burgess continued: “This Bill will help us to deliver better outcomes for communities, safeguard the interests of householders and strengthen the quality of Scotland’s housing.
“There is universal support for strengthening regulation of letting agents and for our moves to transfer private rented sector cases from the sheriff to a tribunal.
“Housing is and will remain a priority for this government and through the Housing (Scotland) Bill we will continue to support improvements across the private, private rented and social sectors.”
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop joined young filmmakers, musicians and dancers who are developing their career skills thanks to the confiscated funds from criminal activity.
