- Area:
- Scotland
- Programme:
- Investing In Communities
- Release date:
- 3 10 2012
Children and young people at risk of offending, and tenants facing debt will benefit from almost £1 million investment announced today by the Big Lottery Fund in Scotland.
Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “Today’s funded projects help address some of the difficult issues and challenges facing our communities. Supporting individuals and families out of debt, and encouraging young people and children towards positive futures underlines the aims of our Investing in Communities programme. I am very pleased that this funding will help these community projects expand their valuable work, supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.”
Five Edinburgh housing associations, together with Citizens Advice Edinburgh, will offer tenants one-to-one financial and debt advice. Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association's `Money Matters' project will arrange for Money Advice Workers to visit tenants in their own homes. Today’s grant of £568,069 will help tenants with their budgeting skills, open bank accounts or choose the most appropriate financial products. It will also go towards money-saving ‘dosh day’ events and benefit the communities of Hillcrest, Port of Leith, Dunedin Canmore, Blackwoods as well as Castle Rock Edinvar.
Heather Macnaughton, Castle Rock Edinvar, is delighted with the four year award: “This service is of particular importance to more vulnerable tenants who find it difficult to leave their home for mobility or health reasons. A home visit also lets us deal quickly with problems before they escalate.”
Tenant, Sharon, (name has been changed) described how the service has helped her: “It has improved my health being in control of my money through having a budget to help me. I used to wait for the door to go and someone would be there to take my things away but now I’m organised. I pay my bills and toe the line. I’m in a better place and could not have got here without the support of my Money Advice Worker.
New Housing and Welfare Minister, Margaret Burgess MSP, commented: “I warmly welcome this initiative to provide financial help and preventative advice to social housing tenants. It is hugely important that tenants have access to the right support and expert advice when they need it."
Kirkcaldy YMCA's 'Plus One' project supports children and young people at risk of offending, or who have already offended. Trained volunteer mentors keep in touch weekly through discussion and community activity. The aim is to help increase confidence and self esteem and get those at risk of offending actively involved in their education and community. Today’s grant of £355,665 will see the project expand from Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth into Glenrothes, Lochgelly and Cowdenbeath.
Fifteen year old Alison (name has been changed) became involved with Plus One Mentoring in spring 2011. She was displaying vulnerable behaviour in the community and was very easily led. She had no safe or positive friendships and had recently been charged with assaulting another girl. Her school reported aggressive behaviour and she was excluded because of this.
Alison was matched to a volunteer at Plus One who wanted to make a difference to a young person’s life. A year later and Alison’s social skills and confidence have grown enormously. She is going out with friends and no longer needs to meet with her mentor. Her school reported that she left on a positive note and is starting a college course next month. This is a big, positive step in the next stage of Alison’s life but her Plus One mentor will be waiting in the wings should she ever need her again.
Liz Easton, General Secretary of Kirkcaldy YMCA, explained that staff breathed a collective sigh of relief when the news came: “Today’s funding means the Plus One Project will carry on in Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth but also to extend to Glenrothes, Lochgelly and Cowdenbeath.It will make a major difference in our ability to support young people through difficult times and will also allow us to recruit and train 40 volunteer mentors each year from the targeted communities. We’re delighted that Kirkcaldy YMCA can build on 126 years of service to young people, supporting their emotional, physical and spiritual development.”
Today’s funding is part of a package of four Big Lottery Fund Scotland, Investing in Community grants totalling £2,361,488 million.
For further information
Frances Chisholm, Press Team Scotland: 0141 242 1458
Public Enquiries Line: 0300 123 7110 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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