Young Enterprise Scotland will continue to deliver enterprise and financial education with significantly reduced team
Young Enterprise Scotland, the national charity that has delivered enterprise education to schools and colleges for over 30 years, has confirmed it has made 17 members of staff redundant after failing to secure Scottish Government funding in October.
The national charity will now operate on a significantly reduced staff team of no more than a dozen people after being denied funding from the Scottish Government’s new Entrepreneurial Education Fund.
YE Scotland’s funding has historically come from a combination of a core continuity grant from the Scottish Government, an ongoing pipeline of support from Trusts and Foundations and, to a lesser extent, support from the private sector.
In July this year, YE Scotland was advised the grant process would now cease with immediate effect, replaced with a competitive process which subsequently opened in August. The new fund awarded seven organisations with a share of £829,346, with YE Scotland being unsuccessful in this round of funding.
The charity was granted emergency funding of £285,000 which covered its existing costs for this financial year, allowing YE Scotland to avoid closure.
Young Enterprise Scotland CEO Emma Soanes said: “It is a huge relief that we have been able to avoid a complete closure of Young Enterprise Scotland and we are grateful to the Scottish Government for providing us with emergency funding which prevented our worst case scenario becoming reality.
“Sadly however, this will provide little consolation to the 17 valued members of our team who have lost their jobs just weeks before Christmas.
“Losing our major income source has been an enormously unsettling and upsetting time for everyone involved, and while we try to remain positive there is no doubt there will be challenging times ahead as we refocus and prioritise what programmes we deliver within schools and colleges on such a reduced staff model.”
Last year, YE Scotland supported over 18,000 school and college students through its enterprise programmes, including its flagship Company Programme, which many entrepreneurs credit with setting them on a successful business career.
In the past three years, more than 1,000 students have gained a YE Scotland enterprise qualification (SCQF Level 6) to prepare them for further education, work and life.
Emma Soanesadded: “We will definitely be engaging our own entrepreneurial mindsets in the coming weeks and months as we reposition ourselves within the education ecosystem and continue with our commitment to deliver financial and enterprise education from primary one and early years, right through to S6”.
Long-standing enterprise and financial education programmes for schools and colleges to cease immediately as Young Enterprise Scotland denied Scottish Government support
Young Enterprise Scotland, a national charity that has delivered enterprise education to schools and colleges for over 30 years, is now at risk of closing after the Scottish Government scrapped established grants and failed to follow through on funding assurances.
The national charity is facing closure due to the Scottish Government’s failure to honour funding assurances and last-minute changes to funding methods.
YE Scotland, which develops entrepreneurial mindsets in young people and educators has been a crucial strategic delivery partner in supporting national ambitions in education and entrepreneurship. The organisation has lost its full Scottish Government grant, which accounts for the majority of its overall income.
If no emergency funding can be sourced, the organisation will be forced to close. Thousands of hours of practical learning to primary and secondary students in the circular economy, teamwork, communication, financial planning, sales and marketing and more will be immediately wiped off the school week.
Students will no longer be able to complete the SCQF Level 6 qualification ‘higher’ in entrepreneurship and up to 31 jobs will be lost.
Last year, YE Scotland supported over 18,000 school and college students through its enterprise programmes, including its flagship Company Programme, which many entrepreneurs credit with setting them on a successful business career. In the past three years, more than 1,000 students have gained a YE Scotland enterprise qualification (SCQF Level 6) to prepare them for further education, work and life.
Young Enterprise Scotland Chief Executive Emma Soanessaid: “We are absolutely devastated that the future of Young Enterprise Scotland now seems untenable with the loss of our major income source.
“Not only will this have a huge detrimental impact on our dedicated staff team, who now face redundancy, but given our extensive reach across Scotland it will also impact massively on the national education landscape and the education of young people in Scotland of which our work played such a crucial role.
“Failing to support this crucial stage of the entrepreneurial pipeline is entirely at odds with strategic priorities reflected in the Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation and the key recommendations of the Entrepreneurial Campus report.”
YE Scotland’s funding has historically come from a combination of a core continuity grant from the Scottish Government, an ongoing pipeline of support from Trusts and Foundations and, to a lesser extent, support from the private sector.
For both the financial years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, the Scottish Government grant was significantly delayed. This was particularly so in the last financial year with the delay resulting in late submission of the charity’s audited accounts, directly impacting its ability to apply for additional funding.
Over both years, the charity has supported the Scottish Government during their funding delays by continuing to deliver vital services in good faith.
As a provider of education-based programmes that relies on onboarding schools ready for delivery at the start of the academic year, YE Scotland continued to work on delivering its programmes for 2024/25.
Given the charity’s long standing relationship with the Scottish Government, the experience of previous grant cycles and communications from government officials right up until May 2024 about the availability of funding, the charity onboarded around 80% of the schools and colleges it would be working with for the coming year.
However, in July this year, YE Scotland was advised the grant process would now cease with immediate effect, replaced with a competitive process. The Entrepreneurial Education Fund subsequently opened in August, with no consideration being given to work already underway or any costs incurred up to that point.
YE Scotland Chair, Dr Andy Campbell, who is founder of the Scottish Space Network, added: “For over 30 years, Young Enterprise has delivered life-changing opportunities for young people in Scotland, myself included.
“We understand that government budgets can face challenges and delays, particularly in the current climate. As a committed partner, the charity has historically supported the Government’s delays in funding, continuing delivery to ensure our young people’s futures are not impacted.
“Historically, these delays were always addressed, with costs settled and accompanied by thanks and apologies. However, despite this constructive commitment, it now appears that future funding is to be withdrawn — which we can manage, albeit as a vastly smaller organisation and not delivering the vast majority of our current activity.
“However, critically it now seems that our historical outlays will remain unsettled putting the entire organisation at risk of closure. Without emergency funding, the charity will be in a precarious situation, one that could have been avoided. We are ready to engage with Ministers and officers, hopeful that our past support will be reciprocated.”
The charity is seeking immediate emergency financial support to ensure the organisation can survive, albeit in a reduced capacity, maintaining YE Scotland’s crucial role in delivering enterprise education and supporting Scotland’s future entrepreneurial leaders.
Cost of living crisis brings need for financial literacy in young people into stark reality, says charity
Young Enterprise Scotland is highlighting the importance of financial education for young people during UK Savings Week.
Running from the 18th – 24th September, UK Savings Week is a campaign designed to heighten awareness of the benefits of saving, and creating positive attitudes towards financial resilience.
The call for awareness comes on the back of findings which show just 50% of 12-17 year olds in Scotland recall learning about money management in school (MaPs, 2020). A figure which is concerning in light of the current cost of living crisis.
The charity has created and developed Scotland’s Financial Schools programme to support the implementation of financial education in the curriculum, with the aim that every young person in Scotland is equipped with essential financial skills that will support them into adulthood.
The programme provides practitioners with support and a wide range of resources to develop their own understanding and support their students, including workshops, online modules, and their free ‘’Your Money Matters’ textbook, created through funding and support from Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis. Featuring tips on budgeting, borrowing, and recognising scams and fraud, the textbook can be accessed for free on their website.
Emma Soanes, Chief Executive of Young Enterprise Scotland, said: “It has never been more important for young people to have the skills and knowledge to set them up for success, and financial education is a key component.
“We are determined that every child in Scotland should have access to financial education from an early age, and we aim to support teachers and schools to deliver this across the country.”
Financial education for young people is central to the work of Young Enterprise Scotland, which works with volunteers from the business community to deliver a future-proof programme of blended learning that is accessible to all. They also work with budding entrepreneurs, nurturing business ideas and supporting young people to bring their ideas to life, whilst developing skills and achieving their goals.
Find out more about Scotland’s Financial Schools here:
Local businessman, Peter McLean, has been appointed to head up the Young Enterprise Scotland team in Edinburgh and the Lothians and drive forward the charity’s mission to give all local school children access to enterprise learning.
As Chair of the volunteer group, Pete will co-ordinate efforts to introduce more schools and more students to entrepreneurial skills development through the Young Enterprise Scotland (YES) Company Programme.
With his team of business advisers, as well as fundraising and organising events, the role includes working directly with senior school students who set up their own commercial ventures as part of the Company Programme.
Last year, more than 300 students across Scotland achieved an SCQF level six accredited qualification for the Company Programme, which is recognised by UCAS for university entry.
Many sixth formers take the experience of the Company Programme further by setting up their own businesses outside school, while for others, the skills for teamworking, communication and making ideas a reality provide them with a competitive advantage in the jobs market.
In 2019/20, the Edinburgh & Lothians Area Team helped to inspire nearly 300 students and supported 32 YES companies to go through the Company Programme.
Having taken part in the Company Programme himself while at school in Edinburgh, Pete has been involved with YES for over two decades.
A successful serial entrepreneur in his own right, he now acts as a business growth adviser with Napier University, where he helps students, staff and alumni grow and launch businesses.
Pete said: “I have been involved with Young Enterprise for over 20 years, from being part of a team at School, judging, running workshops, a local Board member and now Lothians Chair.
“I am passionate about enterprise for all at every age but especially in education and look forward to helping Young Enterprise achieve its goals.
“I launched my own food and drinks business whilst at University and grew it to 36 staff over 13 years. There were many highlights over the years, but an equal number of failures and lessons learnt.
“It is these valuable lessons that has led to my current role as Business Growth Adviser at Edinburgh Napier University. I have a passion for the start-up community and hope that in my new role with YES I can steer others down this path and achieve their goals.”
