This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Euro funding for west of Scotland
19/04/2006
A regeneration centre to help people overcome barriers to employment is one of six West of Scotland projects to benefit from £580,000 European funding, it was announced today.
The Whitecrook Regeneration Centre in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, will receive £143,000 to help develop a range of services for local unemployed people. These will include IT training, out of school care and work experience training. The project will be run by the local community group.
Announcing the latest awards under the URBAN II Community Initiative Programme, Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Allan Wilson said:
"The Clyde Urban Waterfront Regeneration area has already benefited considerably from European funding. Today is yet another example of how these types of projects can transform the prospects of individuals and communities.
"The Whitecrook Regeneration Centre is a particularly exciting project. By helping local unemployed people overcome the barriers they face to work the centre will help make a real difference to people's lives.
"Another project which has enormous potential to make a positive impact is the Employment Options Programme run by Inverclyde Community Development Trust in Port Glasgow. European funding of £43,000 will enable 40 local people to receive employment training and support to help them compete for new job opportunities.
"Both these projects and all of the others being supported today will bring major benefits to local communities, helping to get people into work and boost the economy. I wish all of the successful projects well in taking these ambitious projects forward."
Other projects supported during the latest round of funding include:
- Clydebank South Full Employment Area Initiative (West Dunbartonshire Council) will receive £140,000 to help local people into work. Teams of community outreach workers will work with individuals to link them with appropriate training opportunities
- Researching Success (West Dunbartonshire Council) will use £15,406 for a new project to undertake skills exchange visits with European-funded projects in other member states. These will seek to identify good practice and areas of success and innovation to help improve current and future Scottish programmes
- Port Glasgow Full Employment Area Initiative (Community Renewal Ltd) will use £237,646 to help local people into work and to access voluntary and community opportunities
- Jobs in Care Research (West Dunbartonshire Council) will receive £4,500 for a project to analyse local labour market trends within the care sector
URBAN II is a community initiative programme for the Clyde Urban Waterfront Regeneration Zone with a fund of £8.9 million. The area covers two communites Clydebank South and Port Glasgow. Both communites have suffered severe industrial decline due to their previous reliance on the shipbuilding industry.
The objectives of URBAN II are to:
- Promote innovative strategies for sustainable economic, social and environmental regeneration
- Enhance dissemination of good practice and exchange of knowledge