Scottish charities are leading the fight to ensure the Erasmus Plus campaign is retained after Brexit
Charities who are leading a drive to retain study partnerships within the European Union have received a boost.
Joan McAlpine MSP has backed the Keep Erasmus Plus campaign, which is being led by YouthLink Scotland and Leonard Cheshire Disability Scotland.
Brexit has left the fate of Britain's participation in the Erasmus Plus study initiative in serious doubt.
It enables people from throughout the European Union to study, work, volunteer, teach and train in participating nations.
The number of young people and students from Scotland, as well as staff in education, training and youth work who benefited from Erasmus Plus amounted to over 6,000 in 2016 alone.
Emily Beever, senior development officer at YouthLink Scotland, said: “Participation in Erasmus Plus increases young people’s social skills, their commitment against discrimination, and their language skills.
“Research has even shown that young people with fewer opportunities who participate in Erasmus Plus report a significantly higher effect compared with their well-off peers. Erasmus Plus also fits in with the ethos of Year of Young People 2018 by creating opportunities for young people to shine globally and providing a platform for young people to have their views heard and acted upon.”
Stuart Robertson, director of Leonard Cheshire Disability Scotland, said: “Erasmus Plus is hugely important to our organisation. It enriches the lives of people with disabilities we support and helps them to get an understanding of different cultures.”
McAlpine highlighted the campaign at the Scottish Parliament recently and said that young people needed answers on its future.
She said: “Erasmus Plus depends on the free movement of people and the UK government still hasn’t told us how this will be replaced if the UK leaves the single market. Countries outside the EU but retain full membership of the single market are able to continue to participate in Erasmus Plus and that’s what I want for Scotland.”
