New fund to help education recovery from COVID-19.
Scottish Government funding for youth work is being increased by more than 30% to recognise the vital role the sector will play in making up any ground lost in learning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A newly created £3 million Youth Work Education Recovery Fund will be targeted at those communities and young people who need the most support, bringing Government spending in the youth work sector this year to at least £12.5 million.
The Recovery Fund will be administered by YouthLink Scotland, the national youth work agency. The fund is open for applications from Community Learning and Development services that help young people engage and re-engage with learning. Submissions should support partnership work between November 2020 and the end of August 2021.
Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Scotland’s vibrant youth work sector plays a crucial role in supporting children and young people’s well-being, and in closing the attainment gap.
“Throughout lockdown we have seen the sector rise to the challenge of providing services remotely, supporting some of the most vulnerable young people across Scotland.
“This £3 million investment in youth work will help education recovery from COVID-19 by providing additional targeted services for young people, where they are needed the most.”
Tim Frew, CEO of YouthLink Scotland, said: “This fund presents an opportunity for the sector to continue to innovate and develop new models of practice in collaboration across the public and voluntary sectors, alongside our partners in schools and colleges.
“Young people across Scotland have shown extraordinary resilience. They have had to put up with so much, missing out on many things that we often take for granted, and as they face the uncertainty of what comes next we will be there to support their educational recovery. In supporting them to achieve, the youth work sector can demonstrate its unique role in closing the poverty-related attainment and achievement gap.”
Background:
More information on the Fund and its application process with YouthLink Scotland.
SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald has welcomed a new £60million Youth Guarantee announced in the Programme for Government, which guarantees everyone in Edinburgh aged 16-24, a job, a place in education or a place in training.
The new partnership between the Scottish Government and Scotland’s employers is backed by £60 million of government investment, which will be broken down as follows:
£30 million through local authorities to help local partnerships to deliver employability support for young people
£10 million to create additional opportunities in colleges
£10 million additional funding for Developing the Young Workforce, the Scottish Government’s internationally recognised Youth Employment Strategy
£10 million to support pathways to apprenticeships
This autumn, the Scottish Government will also launch the National Transition Training Fund, which is backed by initial funding of £25 million and will help up to 10,000 people of all ages retrain for jobs in growth sectors.
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald,said: “Governments have rightly taken unprecedented steps to protect workers and businesses through this pandemic, but it’s vital that young people are not left behind.
“This SNP government is absolutely determined that youth unemployment will not become the legacy of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“The new £60 million Youth Guarantee, announced in the First Minister’s Programme for Government, will guarantee every young person inEdinburgh aged 16-24 a job, a place in training, or a place in education.
“This is backed by additional funding for employers to recruit and retain apprentices, and the new Job Start Payment to help with the costs associated with starting a new job.
“I urge all employers who are able, to work with the Scottish Government to create more opportunities that recognise the valuable contribution our young people have to make in growing our economy.
“These steps to support for those most adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic are most welcome, and the SNP will continue to work to ensure every young person in our capital is given the opportunity to succeed”
Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has set out more details of how Scotland’s Youth Guarantee will give young people the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The guarantee will ensure everyone aged between 16 and 24 has the opportunity of work, education or training. The Scottish Government is funding it with £60 million which will be broken down as follows:
£30 million through local authorities to help local partnerships to deliver employability support for young people
£10 million to create additional opportunities in colleges
£10 million additional funding for Developing the Young Workforce, the Scottish Government’s internationally recognised Youth Employment Strategy
£10 million to support pathways to apprenticeships
Sandy Begbie, who led the Developing the Young Workforce Group that played a pivotal role in the delivery of the Edinburgh Guarantee to young people, was asked to write an implementation plan which has been published yesterday.
The report’s recommendations include:
early work to identify youth employment opportunities with employers in some of the least-impacted sectors, including financial services, utilities and life sciences
working to introduce an incentive model where government pays 50% of wages for young people who need the most help
a call for the public sector to create more opportunities for young people
a call for businesses who would not normally have taken an apprentice full-time to consider sharing an apprentice with other employers
providing support to encourage SMEs to take on a young person if they are able to do so
Ms Hyslop said: “I would like to thank Sandy Begbie for the significant work he has put into developing this proposal in such a short period of time. He has engaged widely and set out ambitious recommendations for which I am grateful, and I look forward to working with him to implement them.
“The guarantee will be crucial to improving the opportunities of young people in light of the pandemic, and I was delighted to be able to speak to some of them earlier today about how the Edinburgh Guarantee has benefitted them.
“The scale of this task will be significant, and that is why we have set ourselves the challenge of this ambitious guarantee. I would urge all employers who are able, to work with us to create more opportunities that recognise the valuable contribution our young people have to make in growing our economy.
“Progress will only be possible through collaboration and a collective determination to succeed. I am pleased that the Scottish Government has become one of the early adopters of the Youth Guarantee.
“My message to Scotland’s young people is simple: we are right behind you, we want you to be successful and we will do everything we can to give you the opportunities you need.”
Mr Begbie said: “While very ambitious, in many ways this guarantee is quite simple. It is an unconditional commitment to all our 16-24 year olds, whose lives and prospects could be irreparably damaged by COVID-19.
“It is a guarantee of education, an apprenticeship, training, employment, volunteering or supported activity. Keeping young people connected in a way they feel valued and productive is at the heart of this guarantee.
“To deliver this we need a call to action across the private, public, third and education sectors with everyone doing all they can to create opportunities for our young people.
“The guarantee, if delivered effectively, will also go a long way to help address the inequalities we know exist, and every young person regardless of background will have the same opportunity.”
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, has warned of a mental health “perfect storm” for children and young people. It has also called for a “national crusade” to tackle this.
The warning comes on the back of figures from Public Health Scotland which indicate that the number of referrals to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has dropped by a staggering 55.8 per cent between quarters January and March 2020 and April and June 2020 (from 9,017 to 3,985). 1
These range from a 66.7 per cent fall in referrals for NHS Dumfries and Galloway to 7.7 per cent in NHS Orkney (full table in Notes to Editors).
It also highlights that in June 2020, 1,136 children and young people had been waiting more than a year for treatment, up from 581 on the same point last year.2
The SCSC has warned that mental health services will face an overwhelming and unprecedented pressure due to pent-up demand created by the COVID-19 lockdown, coupled with a cut in youth support services. This could potentially lead to a “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.
It has called for a “national crusade”, with the Scottish Government working closely with authorities, including the third and independent sectors, and investing significantly in mental health services. The coalition has also urged that greater awareness is made of the services on offer, especially those at a community level.
The SCSC has warned that self-isolation and social distancing have had an impact on young people struggling with issues such as anxiety and depression. It has noted that even the most resilient children are going to need additional support as they navigate this transition back into whatever is the new normal, and some will need a lot of extra support.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “These latest figures are deeply troubling and point to a ‘perfect storm’ for our young people, with increased demand coupled with cuts in services.
“While referrals have dropped during lockdown and children are not accessing support, we are storing up immense problems for the future as specialist mental health services face being overwhelmed due to greatly increased demand.
“We need a ‘national crusade’ to deliver the mental health provision our young people desperately need. The Government needs to work urgently with the relevant authorities to ensure that not only is there sufficient provision available at the local community level, but that this is clearly communicated and easily accessible for young people and their parents or carers.
“It is not just the NHS, but the third sector and other independent organisations play a key role in addressing mental health services and must receive the funding they vitally need or we face a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable children and young people.”
Six out of ten young people waiting over 18 weeks to be seen in Lothian
The number of children and young adults waiting over 18 weeks to be seen by a mental health professional has increased to 147 out of 247 patients seen, 59.5%, In June 2020 the latest month of statistics available.
As of June 2020 there are 2,482 young people waiting to be seen in Edinburgh and the Lothians, with a record 472 waiting for over a year, 19% of total waits.
In April to June 2020 there were 825 CAMHS referrals, with 109 rejected, making a total of 706 new referrals. This is compared to 1,659 referrals in January to March 2020, with 382 referrals rejected, making a total of 1277 new referrals.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“These figures reinforce the mental health crisis for young people in NHS Lothian with exceptionally long waits to be seen by a mental health professional.
“Mental Health professionals in NHS Lothian work incredibly hard to support young people who are struggling with their mental health, but services are simply not being properly resourced to meet demand.
“Lockdown, Covid-19 restrictions and failures by SNP Ministers over SQA results will all have added to stresses for young people making mental health support even more important. “SNP Ministers have presided over our health service for over 13 years and have failed to support a generation of young people.”
Over one in three of Scotland’s young workforce could be unemployed later this year – the highest ever level since records began
Urgent action needed over the coming weeks and months to meet the ‘100,000 challenge’ to provide 100,000 new opportunities for young people through learning or working.
IPPR Scotland has published new research which shows the scale of the youth unemployment challenge Scotland could face later this year.
In the think tank’s ‘central scenario’, based on forecasts from the UK Office of Budget Responsibility, youth unemployment in Scotland could surge past 100,000 young people later this year as the furlough schemes end and the UK as a whole enters a jobs crisis. This would see over one in three of Scotland’s young workforce (16-24 year olds looking for work) facing youth unemployment – the highest level since records began.
The think tank warns that youth unemployment could be worse than this in a reasonable worst-case ‘downside’ scenario, with over 140,000 young people unemployedby the end of 2020. In the ‘upside’ scenario, youth unemployment increases hugely, but stays around 80,000 and beneath the level seen following the 2008/09 financial crash.
The ‘scarring effects’ of unemployment early in someone’s career are well-documented, with people who experience youth unemployment for a significant time facing a pay gap that many never close throughout the rest of their working lives. This could have significant implications for health and wellbeing and cause significant long-term damage to Scotland’s economy.
To protect a generation of young people, IPPR Scotland is calling for urgent action over the coming weeks to meet what it’s calling the ‘100,000 challenge’ – providing 100,000 new opportunities in Scotland across education, skills and employment.
This will need urgent action from government, colleges and universities, and employers in Scotland. The think tank is also calling on the UK Government to maintain support for jobs across the economy by replacing the furlough scheme with a ‘short-time work scheme’, as seen in France and Germany, that would see employers able to offer subsidised part-time work rather than being forced into laying people off.
The UK Government has announced a Kickstarter Job Scheme that is due to begin in the autumn, however details so far are lacking. Further details on the Scottish Government’s own £60m Scottish Youth Guarantee are also awaited. The think tank fears neither scheme is likely to reach the scale required as things stand.
Russell Gunson, Director of IPPR Scotland, said:“If these projections turn out to be true we will see youth unemployment on a scale we’ve never seen before in Scotland later this year.
“Over 100,000 young people – or more than one in three of Scotland’s young workforce – could be unemployed by the end of the year. This is unprecedented, and will need unprecedented action over the coming weeks and months without delay.
“While both the UK and Scottish governments have announced action to try to stave off youth unemployment, we have not yet seen the scale of action meet the scale of the challenge.
“As the school year starts and as we approach the new academic year for college and universities, we need to act now to help those without a place in education or training and without a job. That will need action from across Scotland – including government but also from businesses, employers, colleges and universities.
“We are facing a ‘100,000 challenge’ in Scotland. The question we must ask and urgently answer is: how do we create 100,000 new opportunities for young people in Scotland over the rest of this year?
“Through further additional college and university places, through even greater investment in learning and training, and through action by employers to try to protect opportunities for young people it is more than possible. But we must now act at a pace and a scale not yet seen.”
The Scottish Government continues to press UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Risho Sunak to extend the furlough scheme, which is due to end in October. It’s feared that, unless the scheme is extended, tens of thousands more workers will be made redundant.
A new benefit to support 16 to 24 year olds into work if they have been unemployed for six months will open for applications today (Monday 17 August).
Job Start Payment is a one off £250 payment to help with the costs of starting a new job. The upper age limit rises to 25 for care leavers and the payment rises to £400 if the person has a child.
In its first year, it is estimated around 5,000 young people will benefit from this new financial support.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I am delighted that our Job Start Payment is today now open for applications; it really couldn’t come at a better time to support our young people to take up job offers.
“Young people are among those whose job prospects have been hardest hit by this pandemic. As such, it is crucial that we support them and ensure they are at the heart of our economic recovery from COVID-19.
“Last week, we announced an additional £10 million for a range of measures to recruit and retain apprentices. Combined with our commitment of at least £50 million for youth employment and the Scotland’s Youth Guarantee, we will ensure no one is left behind.
“Building on this work to create opportunities, this new benefit will also help young people after a period of unemployment. Getting a job can represent a massive turning point for many young people, but it can also bring financial pressures.
“Costs like travel, new work clothes, or childcare often have to be met before people get their first pay.
“The brand new Job Start Payment will help young people with these costs, which can sometimes be a barrier to them taking up an offer and we will be encouraging anyone eligible to apply. ”
Skills Development Scotland’s Director of Career Information Advice Guidance Operations, James Russell said: “This new payment will offer welcomed practical help to many young people who our advisers are supporting at this time.
“It will be especially important to those taking their next steps into employment and who may need some additional support to start the right career opportunity for them.”
According to teen magazine Future-Mag, more than half (54 per cent) of graduates say they’d think again about choosing university as the best way to find a job.
If you don’t fancy another three years of study, can’t face the debt, or didn’t get the results you were expecting, don’t worry. There are plenty of routes into careers that that don’t require you to have a degree.
These new opportunities are partly thanks to a rise in apprenticeships since the government has invested more in professional training.
Here’s a line-up of some top jobs you can do without a degree:
1.Nurse
The Lowdown
If you’ve been thinking of becoming a nurse but don’t want to go to university full-time this could be for you. The government has just announced a massive £172m investment into nursing, the money is to allow healthcare employers to take on up to 2,000 nursing degree apprentices every year over the next four years.
Getting There
Nursing apprenticeships offer an alternative to full-time university courses, allowing people to earn a salary while their tuition costs are paid. At the end of the apprenticeship – which usually takes four years – apprentices are able to qualify as fully registered nurses.
You’ll usually need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship. Pay: £24,907 to £37,890
2.Air Traffic Controller
The lowdown
24 hours a day, they help to keep some of the busiest airspace in the world moving. The work is challenging and demanding, but it’s immensely rewarding too. Air traffic controllers give information and advice to airline pilots to help them take off and land safely and on time.
Getting There
You have to be over 18 and have at least five GCSEs or equivalent at Grade 4 or above (previously A-C) or Scottish Nationals 5 Grade A-C or equivalent, including English and maths.As well as having a good level of physical and mental fitness, you must satisfy the basic medical requirements set down by the Civil Aviation Authority.
The National Air Traffic Control Service (NATS) has developed a series of games to help gauge whether you’re right for this career. Pay: £17,000 to £50,000
3Solicitor
The lowdown It’s not quite ‘Better Ask Saul’… in reality Solicitors advise clients about the law and act on their behalf in legal matters, and can specialise in a host of areas, including contract, criminal, commercial and family law, and much more.
Getting there
You can now become a solicitor by training on the job since new solicitor apprenticeships (level 7) which were approved in 2015. This isn’t an easy route – you’ll need to pass a series of tough exams. You’ll need good A levels and it can take five to six years to complete. Pay £25,000 to £100,000
4 Visual Effects Artist
The lowdown
They help artists produce all the whizzy visual effects (VFX). They assist senior VFX artists and prepare the elements required for the final shots. Eventually they’ll be employed by post production companies working on commercials, television series and feature films.
Getting there
You could do a practical short course at London’s MetFilm School (Ealing Studios) and try to get into the industry that way, or do an apprenticeship via Next Gen
Pay from £18,000to £50,000once qualified
5 Computer forensic analyst(cyber security)
What do they do?
Investigate and thwart cyber crime. They might work for the police or security services, or for computer security specialists and in house teams. They’ll follow and analyse electronic data, ultimately to help uncover cyber crime such as commercial espionage, theft, fraud or terrorism.
Getting there
Cyber security professionals are in high demand in both the public and private sector in the wake of high level breaches and perceived terrorism threats. And there’s a severe shortage of qualified professionals. Cyber security higher apprenticeships (level 4) are offered by major infrastructure and energy companies and – excitingly – the security services. Pay £20,000 to £60,000
6 Estate Agent
The Lowdown An estate agent’s lot isn’t quite as chaotic as the comedy ‘Stath Lets Flats’, might lead you to believe, in reality, estate agents sell and rent out commercial and residential property, acting as negotiators between buyers and sellers.
Getting there Some estate agents offer an intermediate apprenticeship as a junior estate agent, or you may be able to start as a trainee sales negotiator and learn on the job.
Pay: Estate agents often work on commission which means that you have a basic salary and also earn a percentage of the sale or rental price of any property you sell or rent. £15,000to£40,000
7Police Officer
The lowdown This is another profession where the Government has pumped in large amounts of cash to help recruit new coppers. If you’ve been considering this as a career, now could be the right time to apply. Police officers keep law and order, investigate crime, and support crime prevention.
Getting there There is no formal educational requirement, for direct application but you will have to be physically fit and pass written tests. Or, you could start by doing a police constable degree apprenticeship. You’ll usually need: 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and college qualifications like A levels for a degree apprenticeship.
You can get a taste of what it’s like to work with the police by volunteering as a special constable.
Investigate and thwart cyber crime. They might work for the police or security services, or for computer security specialists and in house teams. They’ll follow and analyse electronic data, ultimately to help uncover cyber crime such as commercial espionage, theft, fraud or terrorism.
Getting there
Cyber security professionals are in high demand in both the public and private sector in the wake of high level breaches and perceived terrorism threats. And there’s a severe shortage of qualified professionals. Cyber security higher apprenticeships (level 4) are offered by major infrastructure and energy companies and – excitingly – the security services. Pay £20,000 to £60,000
9 Public Relations officer
The Lowdown Public relations (PR) officers manage an organisation’s public image and reputation. You migh get involved in planning PR campaigns, monitoring and reacting to the public and media, writing and editing press releases, speeches, newsletters, leaflets, brochures and websites, creating content on social media much more.
Getting there There is no set entry route to become a public relations officer but it may be useful to do a relevant subject at college, like a Foundation Certificate in Marketing. You can work towards this role by doing a public relations assistant higher apprenticeship.
Entry requirements You’ll usually need: 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship. Pay £18,000 to £90,000
10 Youthworker
What do they do?
Work with young people and help them develop personally and socially. They might work with local services, youth offending teams or voluntary organisations and community groups. They might help organise sports and other activities, or be involved on counselling and mentoring, or liaising with authorities.
Getting there
Many enter youth work as a volunteer or paid worker, but you can now qualify via a youth work apprenticeship. Pay £23,250 to £37,500
11Army officer
The Lowdown Undergo leadership training before choosing from a wide range of specialisms, including; platoon commander, helicopter pilot, intelligence, logistics… even work in military medicine and healthcare.
How do you get there?
You’ll typically need 5 GCSEs at grade 9 to 4 (A* to C) or above and 2 A levels. You’ll have to take aptitude and ability tests, pass a fitness test and interview before a more rigorous assessment to see if you’re capable mentally and physically. Pay £27,273 to £42,009.
A total of £60 million will be invested in a Youth Guarantee to give all young people access to work, training or education, Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has confirmed.
An implementation plan for Scotland’s Youth Guarantee is currently being developed. Funding will come from the additional £100 million Scottish Government investment for employment and skills announced last month.
Speaking to Parliament, Ms Hyslop set out more detail about what the Youth Guarantee will aim to achieve.
She said: “The young people who will make up our future workforce are among those who have been hardest hit by this pandemic. We must support our young people and I want to send a clear message to them today.
“I can announce that the Scottish Government will be committing £60m of the £100m employability fund to support Scotland’s Youth Guarantee, targeted at those most in need of support. This will support young people in a range of ways to help make the transition into work.
“I will bring forward more detail on how we will use this investment with the implementation plan, but I can say now that it will be targeted at those most in need of support, to help them make the transition into work.
“To succeed, we must invest quickly to support a range of interventions to keep young people in work in the next few weeks, to encourage employers to recruit more young people, and to ensure we have enough provision in colleges and elsewhere in the system to prepare young people for future opportunities.
“We must work collaboratively across the private sector, third sector and public sector to ensure no one is left behind, and give them every opportunity in life.
“We want employers to have a clear leadership role. I will encourage employers in all sectors to come forward and support what I see as a crucial intervention to prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) leaving a lasting impact on the employment opportunities of our young people, but also to recognise and promote the valuable and positive role that young people have to play in our economy.”
The Youth Guarantee was one of the main recommendations of the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery.
The implementation plan is currently being developed by Sandy Begbie, who chaired the Developing the Young Workforce Group in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian and helped design the Edinburgh Guarantee for young people.
Last week the Flexible Workforce Development Fund was doubled to £20 million, to allow employers to upskill and reskill workers for new markets. A further £1.5 million was announced for Business Gateway’s Digital Boost programme to help SMEs adapt to new online digital market challenges – almost trebling the capacity of the initiative for the remainder of this financial year.
As schools reopen, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, has warned of a mental health “perfect storm” for children and young people.
The warning comes on the back of figures obtained by BBC Scotland via an FOI request which indicate that the number of referrals for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has dropped by a staggering 57 per cent* between April and June 2019 and April and June 2020.
These range from a 28 per cent fall in requests for NHS Orkney to 80 per cent in NHS Dumfries and Galloway. NHS Lothian reported a drop of 48%.
The SCSC has warned that mental health services will face an overwhelming and unprecedented pressure due to pent-up demand created by the COVID-19 lockdown, coupled with a cut in youth support services. This could potentially lead to a “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.
It has urged the Scottish Government to work with authorities and invest significantly in mental health services as children return to school and to ensure that teachers and other staff are aware of the services on offer for young people needing support.
The SCSC has warned that self-isolation and social distancing have had an impact on young people struggling with issues such as anxiety and depression. It has noted that even the most resilient children are going to need additional support as they navigate this transition back into whatever is the new normal, and some will need a lot of extra support.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “These latest figures are deeply troubling and point to a ‘perfect storm’ for our young people, with increased demand coupled with cuts in services.
“While referrals have dropped during lockdown and children are not accessing support, we are storing up immense problems for the future as mental health services face being overwhelmed due to greatly increased demand.
“The Government needs to work urgently with the relevant authorities to ensure that not only is there sufficient provision available at the local level, but that this is clearly communicated and easily accessible for young people and their parents or carers.
“Mental health services must be given funding and resources equal to that of physical health provision and this pandemic has ushered in an urgency and necessity that cannot be ignored.
“Not just the NHS but also third sector and other independent organisations who play such a key role in addressing mental health services must receive the funding they vitally need or we face having a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable children and young people.”
Support needed for children as they return to school,says NSPCC
An NSPCC Scotland spokesperson said: “We know that many children in Scotland have suffered difficult and traumatic experiences over the past few months.
“During lockdown, we saw a rise in contacts to Childline about mental and emotional health and our NSPCC helpline made 40% more referrals to Police Scotland and local authorities.
“Now, as children across the country return to school, it is crucial they are given the support they need to help them recover from any mental and physical harm. The Scottish Government, local authorities and health boards need to ensure that they have sufficient resources in place to respond to a likely increased need for therapeutic services.”
Young carers provide unpaid care for a family member or a friend, who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.
The Festival provided the opportunity for young carers to meet other young people in similar situations, share new experiences and of course, have fun! The event also provided a national celebration for young carers to share their experiences, the impact that caring has on them and to suggest changes that could make their lives better.
Carers Trust Scotland and the Scottish Government have been working with young carers and their services to plan a new kind of Festival this year!
Scottish Government funding is providing over £100,000 for Carers Trust Scotland to administer a small-grant scheme to eligible young carer services. These services will be able to apply for funding to provide fun and respite to the young carers they support. The outcomes of this scheme are broad to ensure that services can take a local, tailor-made approach in supporting their young people and provide meaningful respite in a safe way.
Furthermore, Carers Trust Scotland will bring Festival fun to young people through our first ever virtual Festival, “Best of the Fest!” On Wednesday 5 August to Friday 7 August, there will be the opportunity for young carers to take part in dozens of activities and events including; mindfullness, yoga, magic shows, paint a-longs and live music!
Resources will also be shared on our website for young people to access at any time after the virtual Festival has taken place.
Our traditional marketplace at the Festival, which invites organisations to promote their services and resources to young carers and their services, will also be found online this year! Organisations such as Young Scot and the Scottish Youth Parliament will host live workshops for young carers and youth workers to find out more about the opportunities available.
This year’s alternative Scottish Young Carers Festival takes place during a challenging time for many young carers. A new Carers Trust Scotland survey shows the pandemic’s dramatic impact on the wider wellbeing of young carers in Scotland.
Meaningful respite for these young people is more important than ever, with 42% of young adult carers in Scotland stating they are unable to take a break from caring as a result of Coronavirus.
Furthermore, 69% of young carers and 76% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey felt less able to stay in touch with friends since coronavirus.74% of young carers and 73% of young adult carers in Scotland also said they are feeling less connected to others since coronavirus.
The results point to a steep decline in the mental health and wellbeing of young people across Scotland who provide unpaid care for family members or friends.
These results highlight the need for continued support to young carers and the opportunity for meaningful respite and engagement opportunities throughout the year. Despite the cancellation of our Scottish Young Carers Festival, our small-grant scheme and online activities aim to provide fun and respite to these young people in alternative, safe ways.
Minister for Public Health, Joe FitzPatrick said: “Young carers make a vitally important contribution to our society. Often though, because of their responsibilities, they haven’t got the same amount of free time and opportunities as their peers.
“Although the Festival cannot take place this year, I hope young carers across the country will be able to benefit from the Scottish Government funded small grant scheme which will enable local services to provide them with some much deserved respite and extra support.”
Paul Traynor, Policy and External Affairs Manager of Carers Trust Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be working with Scottish Government to deliver these new kind of Festival activities for young carers across Scotland for 2020.
“The pandemic has been difficult for a lot of young carers and many have reported taking on additional caring responsibilities, feeling isolated, and feeling disconnected to their friends and wider communities.
“Although some young carers may be disappointed that the annual Scottish Young Carers Festival event has been cancelled, the small-grant scheme provides new opportunities for local young carer services to plan and deliver activities to ensure young carers still have an opportunity to get a break from caring and have fun.
“We also hope that our ‘Best of the Fest’ virtual events will provide that Festival feeling that gives young carers the opportunity to be children and young people first.”
