More than £700,000 worth of CashBack funding has been allocated to 227 youth organisations
Money which was seized from criminals is set to be pumped into Scotland’s most deprived communities.
Justice secretary Michael Matheson has announced funding of £700,000 for disadvantaged young people across the country.
In this latest round of funding in the Year of Young People, YouthLink Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Government, has awarded over £717,886 of CashBack funding.
The money will go to 227 organisations within the youth work sector to deliver a whole range of projects for more than 12,000 young people in local communities.
Matheson made the funding announcement on a visit to Royston Youth Action in Glasgow.
“With this money we are supporting Scotland’s most disadvantaged young people to reach their full potential in life, helping them learn new skills and boost their confidence,” he said.
“On my visit to Royston Youth Action I was delighted to meet young people benefitting from our CashBack initiative and this latest round of funding will tackle inequalities in our communities helping make Scotland a fairer and more inclusive society.
“Since 2008 CashBack has provided over £92 million of support to communities and I am delighted to see this unique Scottish programme celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2018, our Year of Young People.”
Sharon Kelly, project lead at Royston Youth Action described the issues many local young people face.
She said: “The young people we work with are those that meet the targeted focus of the CashBack funding. This is a great community however it is designated as an area of deprivation and this isn’t just financial deprivation it’s social deprivation that leads to a lack of opportunity for those living here, especially the young people.”
Gillian Lithgow, national programmes development manager for YouthLink Scotland added: “This fund is so important, as youth workers are often at the frontline of dealing with the impact of poverty and deprivation on young people.
“Those organisations that receive money through CashBack say it is a lifeline for their services in times of austerity. And it is through this vital youth work services, through the power these opportunities and creative experiences that young people realise there is a positive path in life and they can achieve their ambitions despite difficult circumstances they may face.”
