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New enterprise fund
12/06/2009
A recycling project, employment service and credit unions are among the first organisations to receive support from the Scottish Government's £12 million Third Sector Enterprise Fund.
Finance Secretary John Swinney said 12 grants from the fund would help a range of enterprising organisations around Scotland grow and expand their services.
Among the successful applicants are:
- Changeworks - Resources for Life - a growing energy and recycling enterprise based in Edinburgh, which has been offered £67,500
- Multi Ethnic Aberdeen Limited (MeAL) - which has been offered £68,485 to extend its employment service to ethnic minorities in the North East of Scotland
- Rosemount Lifelong Learning - an organisation based in Royston, Glasgow, which provides family support, employability, vocational training and child care support, has been offered £69,628
Mr Swinney said:
"In an economic downturn, it is vital that we harness the ability of Scotland's Third Sector to connect with some of the most vulnerable people in society and create valuable employment opportunities.
"We increased Scottish Government funding for the sector by 37 per cent, and launched the Third Sector Enterprise Fund, because we wanted to see organisations play a greater part in helping us create a more successful Scotland.
"I have no doubt the first 12 organisations to be supported by the Enterprise Fund will play a full and active role in helping to position Scotland's economy for a strong recovery."
Teresa Bray, Chief Executive of Changeworks, said:
"Changeworks is a rapidly growing organisation, and as an environmental charity focusing on climate change, fuel poverty and waste, we have a huge challenge on our hands. If we're to help Scotland meet its 2050 carbon reduction target, we need to be efficient and ensure our staff are able to get on with their work without worrying about out-dated systems. This investment in the finance and human resources systems will make a big difference."
Malcolm McCarthy, Business Development Manager at Multi Ethnic Aberdeen, said:
"This support over 21 months will enable the organisation to deliver its strategy of securing employment or further learning for the unemployed for those within the equality groups.
"Unemployment is recognised as a key factor in social exclusion and isolation in these groups. We are confident that the fund will make a genuine difference and have a real impact on the lives of the people we work with."
Fiona Forsyth, Chief Executive of Rosemount Lifelong Learning, said:
"We are delighted to receive this award which will enable us to respond to new policy and funding opportunities in the area of child poverty and support for vulnerable families."
Other organisations to be supported are: Aberdeen Forward, an environmental charity (£58,860); Capital Credit Union (£69,000); the Creetown Initiative, (£49,880) which aims to address issues affecting the Newton Stewart area from the decline in traditional industries such as farming and forestry; Crisis, an Erskine-based counselling service (£65,900); Friends of the Award in Edinburgh and Lothians, (£69,051) to market and deliver consultancy training for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme; Glasgow South Credit Union (£24,700); Possil and Milton on Disability, which provides support to disabled people in Glasgow (£68,845); Renfrewshire-wide Credit Union, (£6,000); and Sikh Sanjog, (£69,700) to develop its catering social enterprise providing traditional Punjab food in Leith.
The Fund is targeted at organisations which:
- Are located or operating in Scotland, with social or environmental aims, and which reinvest any surpluses for a social purpose
- Have the potential to increase their turnover and/or become more financially sustainable
- Have appropriate management and governance arrangements in place to support the Government's investment