Financial Security
- Cumbernauld Poverty Action provides free services focused on financial security for people from Cumbernauld and Kilsyth who are struggling to cope with poverty and/or a disability. Their services include crisis assistance, advocacy, support with disability benefits applications, home visits, a Winter warm space breakfast club and advice on a range of issues such as energy, income maximisation and housing. They received a 3-year Small Grant of £15K p.a. in August 2024 towards their running costs.
- Romano Lav provides a range of services for Roma people living in Govanhill, including a Welfare Rights service which provides access to welfare information, advice and advocacy to maximise access to financial benefits for local people in an accessible, culturally sensitive way. They received a 3-year Small Grant of £15K p.a. in August 2024 towards their running costs.
- Lochee Community Larder and Café SCIO provides access to free or affordable food for people in the Lochee area of Dundee who are struggling to meet the day-to-day costs of living. They received a 3-year Small Grant of £13K p.a., towards the running costs of the larder and community café.
- Berwickshire SWAP provides opportunities for families who are struggling with the cost of living to access children’s clothing, school uniform, toys and nappies through regular ‘swap’ events and by providing clothing parcels. Other local organisations attend their events, so that families can access information about services that may benefit them. Berwickshire SWAP received a 3-year Small Grant of £13K p.a. in December 2023 towards their running costs.
Education Pathways
- Craigmillar Literacy Trust works alongside babies, children, young people, parents, carers and other adults to achieve its vision that every community member is empowered through literacy. Their services include a Books for Babies project and Baby & Toddler Rhymetime, designed to develop early literacy and communication skills in under 5s; family literacy groups and family support at home; as well as community-based activities for school aged children. They received a 3-year Small Grant of £15K p.a. in January 2023 towards their running costs.
- Escape Youth Services delivers youth work opportunities throughout the Teviot and Liddesdale area of the Scottish Borders for young people aged 9-21. Their services are shaped by young people and include a drop-in facility in Hawick 5 evenings per week, 1:1 support, groupwork, holiday activities, P7 transition programmes and various skills projects. Activities are open to all but have a particular focus on including young people who may be disengaged, isolated or struggling with the transition from primary to secondary school. Escape Youth Services received a 3-year Small Grant of £15K p.a. in July 2024 towards their running costs.
- REFEO (Refugee Action for Equal Employment Opportunities) is based in Glasgow and offers a range of services for asylum seekers and refugees aged 18 years and over to help them access higher education, online accredited training, mentoring and employment. Support is tailored to the needs of the individual, providing choice and control around the training and courses they would like to access. REFEO received a 3-year Small Grant of £10K p.a. in November 2023 towards the running costs of their work in Scotland.
- Ross County Foundation is based in Dingwall and delivers community-based initiatives for people from across the Highlands and Islands, with a focus on children and young people. They received a 3-year Small Grant of £10K p.a. in May 2023 towards the costs of the costs of their Personal Development Programme, which is aimed at young people who are at risk of exclusion from school. The programme uses sport as a means to support school attendance and attainment, help participants cope with behavioural or emotional issues, build life skills and support participants to move on to positive destinations such as further education or employment.
Work Pathways
- BE United is based in Edinburgh and was established to address the lack of representation of the Black African-Caribbean community within the creative industries in Scotland. They received a 3-year Small Grant of £15K p.a. in August 2022 towards the costs of their ‘Producing the Future’ arts employability programme, which provides industry specific training in the fields of Event Production, Photography and Writing for people from Black and African Caribbean backgrounds. The programme also provides networking opportunities and pathways to employment.
- Re-Employ is based in Fife and provides tailored work experience, training and volunteering opportunities for disabled adults, in the production of home décor items and workplace products/signage. They also provide practical support to participants, with job searches and applications, as well as providing training to other organisations in employing adults with disabilities. They received a 3-year Small Grant of £15K p.a. in September 2023 towards their running costs.
- Netherthird Community Action Training (NCAT) is based near Cumnock in East Ayrshire and provides training and skill development opportunities, placements and apprenticeships for young people who are facing multiple barriers to employment, through a community based garden maintenance and landscaping service. They work holisitically with participants to support them to move on to employment. NCAT received a 3-year Small Grant of £12K p.a. in August 2022 towards the salary costs of their Development Worker.
- Cullin FM is the radio station for Skye & Lochalsh, which broadcasts a range of programmes for the local community, and provides volunteering opportunities for local people. They received a 3-year Small Grant of £7K p.a. in July 2023 towards the costs of the Youth Space Programme, which provides training opportunities for young people in media and broadcasting skills. The programme is led by a Youth Work Mentor and is aimed at young people who are experiencing barriers to employment, including those with care experience, disabled young people and those from low income backgrounds.