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Inspiring Scotland marks its 10th birthday

Today Monday 29 January 2018 marks 10 years since Inspiring Scotland launched its first fund with the target of helping 35,000 disadvantaged young people into destinations of education, training and employment.

The youth employment-focused 14:19 Fund is on track to meet its ambitious target by the end of 2018 and has so far helped 27,897 young people by investing £46.1m in a portfolio of 20 charities who have leveraged an additional £59.2m in matched funding.

Inspiring Scotland was established as a new way of using venture philanthropy to co-ordinate investment into social issues affecting people in Scotland today. Its aim is to help essential charities become extraordinary charities, become more resilient and able to create greater social impact.

Stirlingshire-based charity, Callander Youth Project Trust (CYPT) – an award winning social enterprise – is one of the charities Inspiring Scotland has supported through the 14:19 Fund.   The support and investment has built both the sustainability and social impact of the organisation.  CYPT now operates the five-star Callander Hostel.

Chris Martin, Director of CYPT said: “The backing and support from Inspiring Scotland over the past 10 years has been in the form of financial investment alongside significant business developed support and access to experts with new skills.  Through this we have managed to create a model of youthwork that supports not only employability but also sustainability and helps local young people whilst offering 5-star visitor accommodation.”

Inspiring Scotland’s reach and impact has grown, and it now runs nine funds addressing specific social issues, from childhood health and wellbeing to community development, and works with more than 200 charities across Scotland.  It has managed more than £120m funds and has a pool of 400 pro bono supporters from the private sector which provides additional support and skills to charities.

Celia Tennant, Inspiring Scotland’s chief executive, said: “The story of Inspiring Scotland’s first 10 years is a story about people. A lot of people, thousands from all around Scotland, their relationships with one another and the impact we have been able to create together.

“We are proud of the contribution Inspiring Scotland, and the hundreds of charities we support, have made to lives of Scotland’s people and communities over the last 10 years, but we are also looking to the future as we know there is still more to do.

“Throughout this year, we will be celebrating the extraordinary achievements of the people we have worked with in our first 10 years, but we will also be looking to people and organisations across Scotland to help us identify the most pressing social issues and work together on effective solutions.”

To coincide with its 10th anniversary, Inspiring Scotland also announced the appointment of A. Sinclair Dunlop as Chair of its Board of Directors.

Mr. Dunlop succeeds Professor Niall Lothian OBE who led the Board since Inspiring Scotland was founded. Mr. Dunlop joined the Inspiring Scotland board in September 2014 and was appointed deputy chair in December 2015.

Mr. Dunlop said: “It is a privilege to be appointed to this role and to help Inspiring Scotland continue its vital work in building a better Scotland. Over the last 10 years, Inspiring Scotland has had an extraordinary impact on the voluntary sector across Scotland and I look forward to helping empower the charities we support to maximise their capacity to improve the lives of the most vulnerable.”

Mr. Dunlop is a co-founder and managing partner of Epidarex Capital, a life science and health technology investment firm, and has more than twenty years’ experience in successful international investment.

“Given my professional background, I value rigorous measurement to gauge the successful impact of any venture.  Inspiring Scotland’s commitment to thorough evaluation and continuous improvement is the key to its effectiveness and why it stands out as Scotland’s leader in delivering real results across the third sector”