- Area:
- Scotland
- Programme:
- Investing In Communities
- Release date:
- 11 9 2012
Vulnerable first time mothers and families in financial hardship are amongst those to benefit from a £4 million investment announced today (TUES 11 SEPT) by the Big Lottery Fund in Scotland.
Announcing the funding for nine groups totalling, £4,430,457, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “The range of issues and challenges currently facing Scottish families can have a huge impact on the stability of family life. Many of today’s funded projects will help to address some of these challenges by supporting disadvantaged families to move out of debt and into employment, while also improving parenting skills that will give their children the best start in life. I am delighted that this funding will help these community projects to expand their valuable work and so support many more of the hardest to reach Scottish families.”
Vulnerable first time mothers are to receive additional support as NHS Lanarkshire announces plans to roll out its successful First Steps programme to more families in South Lanarkshire. The organisation will use its award of £500,071 to train a number of First Step workers who will help mothers prepare for the arrival of their child, as well as providing advice during the early stages of their child’s development. The project will cover a range of issues including improved parenting skills, encouraging play, establishing routines, safety in the home and signposting mothers to specialist advice services in their local areas.
Shirley Mitchell, First Steps Programme manager, said: “We are really excited about rolling the First Steps programme out to other areas of South Lanarkshire. South Lanarkshire Council through its Tackling Poverty Fund have supported the programme from its inception due to its potential to improve outcomes for children living in poverty. Now this Big Lottery Fund award, coupled with the existing strong partnership between NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Council, means we will be able to recruit more staff to help us make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable families and their children. It will also help us tackle health inequalities for future generations.”
A successful pilot project targeting disadvantaged Glasgow families in and around school activities is set to expand, thanks to an award of £606,242. The School Gates – Gateway to Success project is run by the Glasgow Regeneration Agency in partnership with Glasgow City Council Education Services and Jobcentre Plus. With today’s additional investment, project advisors working in schools and nurseries in some of Glasgow’s most deprived areas will provide 900 parents and carers with a range of training and learning opportunities.
These will include financial advice and budgeting, support with basic literacy and numeracy skills, help with accessing employment and classes covering a range of issues such as healthy eating and parenting skills.
Stephen Brooks, Head of Strategy, Projects and Compliance, said: “With the additional resource from the Big Lottery Fund we expect, during each year of this project, to assist 250 parents living in disadvantaged communities to deal more effectively with the challenges that 21st Century life throws at them. To do this we will provide parents with access to training and learning opportunities and we will assist them to deal more effectively with the financial challenges they face. As a result parents will have greater input into school and community activities and will be much better placed to take advantage of opportunities for themselves and their children.”
Young people aged 12 to 14 from West Dunbartonshire who are experiencing problems at school and at home are to benefit from an award of £436,897 to Tullochan. The Heads Up project will deliver a number of workshops to 360 pupils in all five local secondary schools to help young people improve relationships with their family and reduce the likelihood of truancy. The project will also provide after school and holiday activities, 'club' nights one evening per week and family day trips to bring families closer together. A pilot programme of 'Drug Proof Your Kids' will also be offered to parents to help them understand changes in their child's behaviour.
Chair of the Tullochan Board, Davy Broni, said: “We are grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for this very welcome endorsement of the tremendous hard work and dedication demonstrated by Tullochan over the past 16 years. In these very challenging times, our Project Workers, managers and volunteers have continued to demonstrate that our young people can and do have a very valuable role in helping to make Scotland a great place in which to live and work. We look forward to collaborating more widely across our communities and making an even bigger difference in the years ahead."
Other projects receiving funding today are:
Skye & Lochalsh Community Care Forum, Award - £358,054
This project will provide a range of training and learning opportunities, awareness raising sessions in schools, one-to-one support, respite breaks and social activities for 120 young carers, aged 5 to 18, who care for a family member who is chronically ill, has a disability or is affected by mental ill health.
Prestonfield & District Neighbourhood Workers Project, Award - £536,015
This project will support 225 older isolated people to remain in their own homes for longer. After an initial home assessment, older people will access a daycare service, with transport, lunch and social activities that promote independence and healthy lifestyles. 150 carers will also receive one to one support.
Drumchapel L.I.F.E. Award - £ 361,813
This project will work with 800 people over the next three years to reduce their likelihood of falling into debt. Trained volunteer financial mentors will help people to uptake relevant welfare benefit and credits entitlement, improve their access to more affordable home energy packages and support them to build their personal skills to improve their financial sustainability.
Sikh Sanjog, Award - £413,939
This project will support 40 women from minority ethnic backgrounds to access appropriate job seeking services and employment opportunities in social enterprises. The project will target women from the Sikh Bhatra community in Edinburgh, but will be open to women from other minority ethnic groups. It will use the organisation’s existing social enterprise cafe in Leith to deliver work experience and training opportunities.
Sleep Scotland, Award - £328,127
This project will help young people with additional support needs and challenging behaviour to make the transition from school to adult services. It will help to improve their independence, social and communication skills, as well as supporting them with their future education and work ambitions.
Shelter, The National Campaign for Homeless People Limited, Award - £889,317
This initiative aims to break the link between a lack of stable accommodation and the cycle of reoffending. It will work with ex-offenders and their families in Aberdeen, Perth and Inverness to prevent homelessness and provide housing and benefits advice.
Further Information
Big Lottery Fund Press Office 0141 242 1458
Public Enquiries Line: 0870 240 2391
Textphone: 0845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Notes to Editors
- The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
- BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
- Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £25 billion over £28 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
- The Scotland Committee has been making Big Lottery Fund decisions on Scottish projects since March 2007. As well as taking devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee, led by Chair, Maureen McGinn, has and will continue to play a strategic role in the future direction of BIG in Scotland.
- The Big Lottery Fund is investing in Scotland’s communities through its Investing in Communities portfolio, as well as the small grants schemes Awards for All, Investing in Ideas, Communities and Families and 2014 Communities.
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