News

10 charities to form £1.3m Building Brighter Futures Fund

Ten charities that support disadvantaged young people across Scotland are to benefit from a share of a £1.3 million Building Brighter Futures Fund (BBFF).

BBFF is managed by Inspiring Scotland on behalf of Hub Community Foundation. The BBFF was set up to create long-term training and job opportunities for underprivileged young people aged 12 – 21. For the next three years, over £400,000 will be distributed annually, with individual funding awards for charities ranging from £20,000 to £60,000 being made each year for three years.

Bill Mackintosh, Trustee of the Hub Community Foundation, said:

“The Trustees of the Hub Community Foundation are delighted to be able to commit over £1.3m
spread over the next three years to help support the most disadvantaged young people furthest
from the labour market to succeed through education, training and employment opportunities.The charities which we have chosen to support on this occasion are spread throughout Scotland and we are confident they will make a really positive impact on the lives of almost 2,000 young
people.”

Celia Tennant, Chief Executive Inspiring Scotland explained:

“We are delighted with the ten charities the Trustees of Hub Community Foundation have selected
to form the Building Brighter Futures Portfolio through a tough assessment process. The Fund was
significantly over-subscribed with 76 applications received at ten times the value of the fund,
demonstrating the clear need for this funding and the role of the sector in responding to this group
of young people.We look forward to working with the ten charities which will form the new portfolio working
together to support disadvantaged young people furthest from the labour market to gain the skills
and confidence to succeed through education, training and employment, throughout Scotland.”

Jonny Kinross, chief executive of the Grassmarket Community Project, said of the funding:

“We are delighted to have been successful in receiving a grant from the Hub Community Foundation
Building Brighter Futures Fund. This long-term funding will make a huge difference to many of the
city’s most vulnerable young people.We will be targeting those who are the furthest from the labour market, including young people
who are currently or recently looked after and accommodated or who underachieved at school or
who have fewer opportunities and lack the confidence and self-belief to tap into mainstream
opportunities or employability programmes.”

The £1.3 million has come directly from the funding and construction of community buildings such as schools and health centres being delivered through the £2.7bn Scotland-wide hub programme. In building these community facilities, the hub programme also supports thousands of construction jobs, creates many graduate and apprenticeship positions and provides hundreds of training opportunities.