- Area:
- Scotland
- Release date:
- 13 3 2012
A new multi million pound fund supporting Scotland’s children and young people opens for business today with young Scots aged 8 to 24 taking centre stage.
Young Start, developed and run by the Big Lottery Fund (BIG), will unlock the potential of thousands of children and young people helping them to be more confident, healthy and connected with older people in their community. It will also focus on tackling youth unemployment by preparing young people for getting a job or starting a business. Young Start will invest £8.9 million over the next year.
The money comes from dormant accounts which are bank and building society accounts that have seen no customer-initiated activity for at least 15 years.
Speaking at the launch of the new fund at Out of the Blue in Leith, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “Young Start is a springboard to a better life for many of Scotland’s children and young people. Whether it’s helping young people prepare for the world of work,encouraging children tobemore physically active or sharing knowledge and skills between generations, this fund will helpyoung Scots flourish andbe all they can be.
“Scotland’s voluntary and community sector has a wealth of experience of delivering new and innovative projects that put children and young people firmly in the driving seat. Young Start will build on the fantastic work that is already being done while creating opportunities for thousands of other young people,many of whom will be involved in the development and delivery of the successful projects.”
Welcoming Young Start, Finance Secretary John Swinney, said: “I’m pleased that communities across Scotland will have the chance to benefit from the Young Start Programme which is distributing Scotland’s share of Dormant Bank and Building Society monies. This is precisely the type of preventative spend that the Scottish Government is keen to encourage. I firmly believe that investing this money now will improve our young people’s health and confidence and help them have a productive future. Not all of the projects are about employability, but they will mean our teenagers will develop some of the skills that will stand them in good stead when it is time to look for work.”
Aimed at third sector organisations, Young Start will provide grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 for up to two years for projects that help to unlock the potential of children and young people aged 8 to 24. It can fund a range of youth activities including:
- Using local artists in a creative arts project to improve young people’s confidence.
- Getting young people involved in sport through the use of local sports facilities.
- Young people teaching older people how to use technology and try new activities such as using the internet, social networking and gaming.
- Work experience tasters with local employers.
Groups can download an application form at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/youngstartfund and can keep up to date with the latest Young Start news at www.facebook.org.uk/youngstartfund or following Young Start at www.twitter.com/youngstartfund.
Further Information
For more details contact the Big Lottery Fund Press Scotland Office
0141 242 1458 or 07786 157 837
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
1.Dormant accounts are defined in the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 as those which have seen no customer-initiated activity for at least 15 years.
2.In 2010, the Scottish Parliament approved the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts (Scotland) Order 2010 (SSI 2010/278), which was made under section 20(1) of the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 (“the 2008 Act”). The Order came into force on 2 July 2010 and provides for the restriction of distribution of dormant account funds to third sector organisations to support activities which promote strong, resilient and supportive communities.
3.On 6 July 2010, the then Minister Jim Mather wrote to BIG, advising of the SG’s intention to issue a Direction to BIG under section 22(5)(b) of the 2008 Act.
4.On 20 September 2011 Mr Swinney wrote to the UK Chair of BIG to formally issue the finalised terms of the Policy Direction to Big Lottery Fund. This included four key themes identified by Scottish Ministers following a Scotland wide consultation which BIG was asked to take account of while developing the fund.
5. In October 2011 BIG further consulted with key stakeholders during the development of the fund, now named Young Start.
5. The Reclaim Fund Ltd. (RFL), which was established in March 2011 to receive and invest dormant account balances across the UK, transferred the first tranche of monies from dormant bank and building society accounts to BIG on 2 August 2011. Scotland will receive an 8.4% share of the total funds to be distributed.
6. The BIG Lottery Fund 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. It also uses its expertise in grant-giving to distribute non-Lottery funding. Full details of the BIG funded programmes and grant awards in Scotland are available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland
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