The funding will enable the organisation to further develop its work in prevention, trauma-informed practice and follow-up.
The Robertson Trust has awarded Money Advice Scotland £30,000 per annum for three years to develop the core of its work and create a more financially resilient Scotland.
As the national umbrella organisation for the free money and debt advice sector, Money Advice Scotland represents advisers, supports best practice, and campaigns for systems that support financial wellbeing and protect those in financial difficulty.
The funding awarded by The Robertson Trust will enable the organisation to further develop its work in prevention, trauma-informed practice and follow-up.
Chief executive of Money Advice Scotland, Janine Rennie, said: “As Scotland’s money charity our mission is to be the driving force towards financial wellbeing for the people of Scotland.
“Last year our membership increased by 53%, we successfully provided comprehensive support and training to over one thousand money advisers, delivered workshops to hundreds of schools, colleges and workplaces and helped people in debt by influencing policy that ensures fairer practices for all.
“However, there is a lack of work being carried out to prevent people facing financial challenges reaching the point of living in poverty and a key gap in trauma-informed work in the money advice sector, and we are keen to address these issues. I am delighted that the funding from The Robertson Trust will enable us to build resources to develop prevention and trauma-informed work in the sector.
“Looking forward we want to engage all service sectors and workplaces in tackling the human impact of debt and empower those working in areas like housing, education and human resources to build a collaborative and multi-disciplinary front-line. Each sector is different with unique challenges and a specific role to play in supporting people experiencing financial hardship.
“This could be in the classroom, the workplace or in people’s homes. With this funding we can develop the resources to cascade this work to professionals within these sectors and provide them with comprehensive support.
“In addition, we want to expand our research work into the links between trauma and poverty and raise awareness of this issue. We intend to increase our evidence base and ensure trauma-informed approaches are embedded in all our work and the work of the money advice sector.
“As an organisation we are going from strength to strength, and we are really looking forward to putting our prevention, trauma-informed work and follow-up plans into action. Our thanks go to the Robertson Trust for awarding us the funds to enable us to do so.”
The Robertson Trust is an independent grant-making trust in Scotland.
Established in 1961, the Trust’s mission is to prevent and reduce poverty and trauma in Scotland by funding, supporting, and influencing solutions to drive social change. Its work focuses on four key themes: Financial Security, Work Pathways, Education Pathways, and Nurturing Relationships.
The Robertson Trust’s funding officer, Michael Smart, said, “Through our Financial Security theme, we are particularly interested in supporting work that helps to improve income adequacy and strengthen financial safety nets across Scotland. We know that debt disproportionately affects those on lower incomes and that breaking cycles of debt is key to reducing poverty and trauma in Scotland.
“Money Advice Scotland's commitment to prevention and trauma-informed approaches will help to address gaps in the money advice sector, which is often focused more on solutions at crisis point. We also value their plans to amplify the voices of those with lived experience, an approach that’s key to driving meaningful change.
“We look forward to learning alongside their work and seeing how it can help to benefit the wider sector.”
