Investment in Youth Work in Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund
The Scottish Government have announced a £20 million investment for community projects to promote equality and tackle discrimination over the next year.
Over £5 million will be for organisations engaging with communities who are experiencing prejudice on the grounds of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation. Another £2.7 million will also go to frontline projects promoting equality and tackling prejudice.
The current funding to tackle violence against women and girls of all forms will be maintained at £11.8 million.
Additionally, the move to provide a three year rolling fund over 2017 – 2020 will provide some continuity for the organisations funded.
Youth work organisations are included in the projects funded under the Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund including, YWCA, LGBT Youth Scotland and National Deaf Children’s Society. YouthLink Scotland will also be receiving funding to develop the Action on Prejudice project which will look to share resources and best practice. This includes youth work resources and practice but will also draw on the experiences and knowledge of the wider third sector. This will ensure that the best resources are shared and all the work tackling prejudice in Scotland is showcased in one central space.
Jim Sweeney, MBE, Chief Executive of YouthLink Scotland said, “YouthLink Scotland welcomes this investment into communities at all levels, especially the projects working with young people to promote equality and tackle prejudice and discrimination.
“The value of youth work and peer-led approaches was highlighted last year in the report from the Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion and it is encouraging to see Scottish Government taking these recommendations forward.
“We look forward to delivering the Action on Prejudice project to share the learning and resources of workers and projects across Scotland.”
Equalities Secretary Angela Constance said:
“We are determined to remove barriers that prevent anybody from making a full contribution to the economic, social and cultural fabric of our society.
“With this funding, we are continuing to support and empower people and groups to tackle inequality and discrimination head-on, helping secure positive and sustained change.
“We want everybody to know that regardless of where they were born, live or what they do, when they live in Scotland they are valued members of our communities.”
The full list of Equality Budget recipients 2017 – 2018 is available here:
Violence against women and girls fund 2017 - 2020
Violence against women and girls: national and intermediary funding 2017-2020
Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund 2017-2020
Equality funding: national and intermediary bodies 2017-2020
