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Crooks cash fund youth projects
28/05/2009
Youth projects throughout Scotland are to be able to bid for a share of £1 million pounds of cash seized from organised criminals.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill today announced that a further round of funding for youth projects from the CashBack for Communities scheme would open in June.
The scheme, to be administered by YouthLink Scotland the national youth work agency, has been allocated £1 million to distribute to local youth projects in the form of grants up to a maximum of £10,000.
Speaking while visiting the Fairbridge project in Edinburgh which benefited from the previous round of funding, Mr MacAskill said:
"Already 278 youth projects the length and breadth of Scotland have benefited from this aspect of our CashBack for Communities scheme.
"I am delighted that we are now able to offer many more projects the opportunity to give our young people the opportunity to try things that may never normally be available to them.
"The vast majority of our youngsters are well behaved and a credit to their communities. But there are still too many getting involved in crime and antisocial behaviour.
"By supporting projects such as the Fairbridge project we are showing our young people that there is much more to life than offending or getting out of your heads on drink or drugs.
"In the middle of a recession, we are also helping organisations that do such a great job for our kids and our communities.
"CashBack for Communities delivers on our ambitions for young people but it also benefits the wider community. Getting kids off street corners, getting them involved in things like volunteering and offering them the chance to give something back to their communities."
The second phase of the YouthLink administered fund will open in June 2009 (date to be confirmed) and applications will be accepted until October 31, 2009. £1 million has been committed to be invested with scope for further investment in future.
Allocations are based on the following formula: 80 per cent based on percantage of 10-19 year olds; 10 per cent on number of income support claimants (to capture deprivation); 10 per cent on population living outwith settlements of 1000+ (to capture rurality).
Applications will be assessed by 32 assessment panels consisting of local authority representatives (Community Learning and Development and Community Safety in particular); the voluntary sector; and trained young people. Regional surgeries will be scheduled to allow applicants to improve their bids. The £10,000 limit is proposed on the basis of the average size of awards made in the two rounds of the previous phase. Panels will be free to make larger awards to flagship projects in their area.
The Scottish Government's CashBack for Communities scheme is funded from the proceeds of crime. The ill-gotten gains of serious organised criminals are taken from them and reinvested in our communities to make a real difference to the lives of young people throughout Scotland.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has previously announced millions of pounds funding to support football, rugby and basketball activities for youngsters in every part of the country as well as support for youth projects and arts and culture projects. With more initiatives to come, the various strands of the scheme are already giving our young people the opportunity to realise their potential and be all they can be.