More than £1.7 million will be allocated from the annual campaign to Scottish groups
A host of Scottish charities have received a funding boost.
BBC Children in Need has awarded more than £1.7 million in new funding to projects across Scotland for their work with disadvantaged children and young people.
A total of 18 projects will benefit from the charity’s main grants programme, with additional funding to be awarded during the year ahead.
Amongst those to benefit are the Rock Trust in Edinburgh, who have received a grant of £107,003 to continue supporting a care leavers programme for young people. In the next three years, the grant will help fund a project worker to facilitate one to one and group sessions, as well as coordinate additional support services, for 16 to 18 year olds who are transitioning from care to independent living.
The charity’s Kate Dixon said: “Young people leaving care are sometimes at a high risk of becoming homeless, and this can be compounded by a range of factors that may have led to them entering the care system – such as family breakdown, experience of trauma and neglect – which can ultimately affect their academic performance and ability to obtain employment.
“We are grateful for this funding from BBC Children in Need, because it will help us ensure that care leavers receive the support system they need to set up a safe and suitable home, enabling them to move forward with their lives in a positive direction.”
In Aberdeen, North East Sensory Services (NESS) has gained £61,701 to support a free programme of activities and social contact groups outside of school and during the holidays for more than 150 under 18s.
In the Borders, Stable Life has secured £105,957 to deliver a range of therapeutic activities with horses for young people in distress, struggling with poor mental health or abuse, or at risk of exclusion from school.
Florence Burke, national head of BBC Children in Need in Scotland, said: “BBC Children in Need is funding more projects than ever across Scotland, but competition for funds is still intense. Against this backdrop, we are incredibly grateful for the public’s generosity as they make our work possible.”
