​Cash comes from the Social Economy Growth Fund

Projects around Scotland which support action to tackle poverty and social exclusion will share £4 million of funding.

Grants from the Social Economy Growth Fund – backed by the Scottish Government and the European Social Fund – have been awarded to 22 community organisations, social enterprises and charities.

Communities secretary Aileen Campbell announced the latest round of funding while visiting Orkney Blide Trust, which has been given more than £218,000 to develop services and expand support for people with experience of mental ill health.22

Other projects to receive funding include Partick Thistle Charitable Trust, which offers subsidised places for low income families on out of school activity programmes, including food and free transport, Aberdeen Foyer, which provides support for 12-18 year olds who have been excluded from school or are at risk of exclusion, and their families and Saheliya, which offers help to vulnerable BME women across Scotland who experience violence and abusive cultural practices and face language or other barriers.

Campbell said: “The Social Economy Growth Fund enables organisations like Orkney Blide Trust to design and deliver community-led solutions to overcome poverty, disadvantage and inequalities – which is a key principle of our Fairer Scotland Action Plan.

“This is about regenerating and empowering communities so they can become more resilient and find the answers to tackling inequality for long term benefit.

“To help achieve this we are encouraging councils and third sector partners to develop local strategies that advance the social enterprise sector in every part of Scotland.”