This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Funding increase for volunteers groups
13/03/2002
Funding aimed at helping to empower people to make an
effective contribution to their communities was announced
today at an event in Edinburgh to mark the end of the UN
International Year of Volunteers.
Making the announcement, Social Justice Minister Iain
Gray said:
"Volunteering is about getting people involved, helping
to shape their communities, take decisions for themselves
and have a say in how their community is managed.
"In the current financial year the Executive has
provided over £1.65 million on direct funding of projects
that promote the Active Communities Initiative. These
projects include volunteering by older people, housebound
people, people from black and minority ethnic communities
and young people in rural areas.
"Funding in 2002-03 will rise to over £2 million. I am
pleased to announce that, as part of this funding, for the
first time, the Executive is to provide £175,000 over three
years to the Scottish Association of Volunteer Managers to
help support and train managers from a whole raft of
voluntary organisations.
"During the International Year Of Volunteers 2001, the
Executive ran a small grants scheme which enabled voluntary
organisations to obtain grants of up to £500 for
volunteering opportunities and activities. Over 400
organisations received a grant. Activities undertaken
included exchange visits, festivals and projects involving
older people, children, minority ethnic communities,
homeless people and people with disabilities.
"In view of the overwhelming success of the small grants
scheme, I have decided that it should be continued and can
confirm that the Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund have been
awarded a grant of £750,000 over three years to administer
such a scheme which will be renamed "Valuing Volunteers". I
am confident that it will be as successful as its
predecessor and bring more people into the volunteering
arena.
"The International Year of Volunteers 2001 was a
tremendous success and I am delighted to celebrate the
commitment and enthusiasm of all those involved in the
small-scale but numerous successes that together have made
a real difference across our communities."
The United Nations declared 2001 as the International
Year of Volunteers (IYV2001). Kofi Annan officially
launched IYV2001 in New York on 28 November 2000.
The Scottish launch took place on 5 December 2000 at the
Armadillo in Glasgow. The Deputy Minister for Social
Justice gave the main address to over 1500 delegates who
were in attendance.
Active Communities Initiative (ACI) is designed to bring
about: (1) positive attitude change towards community
activity; (2) increase number of volunteers; (3) draw
people from excluded backgrounds, and (4) act with other
initiatives to promote community empowerment approach.
Ministers endorsed Scottish strategy in Statement on 29
June 2000. £650k funding in 2000-01; £1.65 million in
2001-02. Funding includes £100k pa for Active Community
Development Unit at Volunteer Development Scotland. Active
Communities Forum set up to promote and monitor the
ACI.
The IYV2001 Small Grants Scheme:
- awards up to £500 pounds to voluntary groups to
help them take part in the International Year of
Volunteers 2001, promote their group to the local
community and gain volunteers.
- The Scheme is administered for the Scottish
Executive by the Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund.
Contact Sandra Carter, Comely Park House, 80 New Row,
Dunfermline, Fife, KY12 7EJ. Tel: 01383 620780 Fax:
01383 626 129 e-mail:
uvaf@uvaf.sagehost.co.uk
- The scheme gave out £100,000 in the first round of
grants to 201 voluntary groups, announced on 3 July,
2001.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/news/2001/07/se1617.asp
- £53,186 was given out to 113 organisations in the
second round of grants.
For the benefit of local media here are examples of
projects that have already benefitted from the small grants
scheme with contact details:
Scottish Disabled Ramblers' grant helped
organise a mini conference where able-bodied volunteers and
local groups shared experiences. At the conference a
programme of rambles for 2002 was chosen for members.
Area - Fife
Contact - Eva McCracken 01592 758149
Limekilns Community Project held several
fundraising events and used their grant to pay for
volunteers' expenses. This meant that the fundraising event
had 100% profit. They have since put this money into a
playpark.
Area - Fife
Contact - Helen Farquhar, 2 North Loanhead, Limekilns,
Fife.
The Way Ahead Group ran a club for people
affected by a stroke. Among other things, their grant
helped pay for volunteer recruitment slips and posters. The
result was new members responding from 2 other areas for
the first time.
Area - Bearsden
Contact - Corona Marshall 0141 570 2869
The Multi-Cultural Elderly Care Centre
used their grant towards the costs of an Open Day for
volunteers where the focus was on caring and arranging
activities for elderly people. The money also helped pay
for a day trip for elderly service users to Our Dynamic
Earth in Edinburgh.
Area - Glasgow
Contact - Mohammed A Islam 0141 585 8014
Working Together for Change (WTFC)
appreciated their grant, which helped towards the travel
costs for 2 volunteers to visit a group of women in
Nicaragua. The WTFC representatives were later able to
share what they learned about issues of poverty faced by
the women they met.
Area - Glasgow
Contact - Maureen Brough 0141 848 7751 or Mary
Kilpatrick 0141 557 5837.
Duke of Edinburgh's Award, West
Dunbartonshire was successful in their grant
application to assist young people establish the Adventure
Service Challenge Scheme. The programme helps develop
social and personal skills. Activities include various
outdoor pursuits as well as assisting elderly people in
their community.
Area - West Dunbartonshire
Contact - Robert O'Sullivan 01389 608458 or Alec Watt
01389 765885.
Berwickshire Association for Voluntary
Service held a volunteer fair "The Berwickshire
World of Volunteering". Over 20 agencies took part in the
celebrations, which included creating a photographic
display and several charity shops staging a fashion
show.
Area - Borders
Contact - Freda Hamilton 01361 883137
Borders Gay Switchboard has created
recruitment and awareness material, which has been
distributed throughout the community. This material should
increase the response to the switchboard and provide
suitable candidates for recruiting more volunteers. A
website is also in the process of being established.
Area - Borders
Contact - Gordon Watson 01896 756611.
Uist Community Riding School used their
grant to support volunteers by paying their travel
expenses. The volunteers came together from all over Uist
to the centrally run riding school to help with the special
needs groups.
Area - Western Isles
Contact - Mairi Stewart 01870 604283.
Home Start Leith and North-east Edinburgh
used their grant to purchase display boards to use in
supermarket, libraries etc. to recruit volunteers and
market their befriending service.
Area - Edinburgh/Leith
Contact - Susan Oliphant 0131 553 7819.
Edinburgh University Settlement used their
grant to develop a website with an international feel. The
website is expected to catch the attention of future
volunteers and contains link to related programmes in
Brazil and Russia.
Area - Edinburgh
Contact - Luciana Flores Martins-Suan 0131 650 2570.
Princess Royal Trust Centre held a
Christmas party to celebrate the contribution from the
carers and volunteers at the centre. Everyone was
encouraged to bring a friend and encouraged them to
continue volunteering. Over 100 carers and volunteers
enjoyed the evening.
Area - Dundee
Contact - Frances Simpson 01382 200422.
Moray Voluntary Service Organisation
invited Cynthia McConnell from South Dakota, USA over to
provide an insight into what can be achieved through
volunteering. The grant was used to pay for the expenses
for the exchange visit. It is envisaged that the twining to
Sioux Falls and Elgin will continue well into the
future.
Area - Moray
Contact - Henrietta Edwards 01343 544104.
Highland Disability Sport ran 2 sporting
events, covering the whole of the Highlands. These events,
for people with disabilities, were on a 'come and try'
basis and supported by volunteers.
Area - Inverness
Contact - Alastair D C Kidd 01463 232262.