Fairer Scotland Fund - Thematic Priorities

The Fairer Scotland Fund (FSF) Board has agreed to allocate funding to the following themes in line with National and local priorities.

Priority theme	£	% of fund
Employment and training	790,000	30%
Income and Financial Inclusion	350,000	13%
Health	333,000	13%
Literacy	100,000	4%
Community Support Fund	70,000	3%

Employment and Training

30% of the fund (£790,000) is allocated to this theme, in line with Scottish Government priorities. The programme has been developed by Aberdeen Works, the Aberdeen City Alliance Employability Forum which focuses on the employability issues, skills gaps and development opportunities within Aberdeen.

Funding will support a LOAN (Linking Opportunity and Need) Team to coordinate activities and services supporting those furthest from the job market to take up employment opportunities. A range of organisations are funded to ensure people have access to the support and skills they need to return to work. This is based on a 'pipeline' approach, to map out a route or journey from an individual's current circumstances to sustainable paid employment. This involves initial engagement, personal development activity, vocational training, and post employment after care.

Funding has been allocated to Pathways, Community Training Unit, Grampian Racial Equality Council, Grampian Society for the Blind, VSA Volunteer Centre and WEA.

Funding is also allocated to MCMC (More Choices More Chances) to support young people into employment or training. From this allocation funding goes to Aberdeen Foyer, the Princes Trust, WEA and the Community Training Unit.

Income and Financial Inclusion

13% of the fund (£350,000) is allocated to this theme, and the programme has been developed by the Cash In Your Pocket Partnership, supported by the FSF Support Team.

There are four main strands of activity:

1. Improving access to affordable financial services and products
2. Delivery of financial education initiatives
3. Co-ordinated provision of quality advice and information services
4. Tackling significant income inequality by identifying a 'living wage' for Aberdeen

Funding is allocated to Grampian Credit Union, St Machar Credit Union and North East Scotland Credit Union, ensuring access to saving schemes and affordable loans across all the regeneration areas, and for low paid workers.

The Citizen's Advice Bureau is funded to deliver income maximisation and money advice in the regeneration neighbourhoods, and a Financial Inclusion Development Team provide capacity building, training and a referral service. Financial education is provided in schools, in partnership with Save the Children, and to vulnerable individuals through WEA.

It is also proposed that a research project is commissioned to analyse the cost of living factors and identify a living wage for Aberdeen. The outcome of this project will contribute to a reduction in income inequality and contribute to the long term economic potential of economically disadvantaged individuals and families.

Health

13% of the fund (£333,000) is allocated to this theme, and the programme has been developed by the Community Health Partnership.

The Health theme focuses on three key areas:

1. Reducing health inequalities
2. Mental health and wellbeing
3. Substance misuse

Community Food Initiatives North East receives funding to improve access to healthy food, and Give Kids A Chance supports vulnerable young people to develop and sustain interests or hobbies that will divert them from negative pastimes such as alcohol and drug misuse, or ant-social behaviour.

A range of mental health and wellbeing initiatives significantly enhance the capacity to meet the needs of those experiencing mental health issues, across all communities and client groups. Counselling services for adults are provided through Pathways to Wellbeing and Mental Health Aberdeen, covering all the regeneration areas. Mental Health Aberdeen is funded to provide a Children and Young People's counselling service, and also provide a service at Quarry Family Centre and Primary schools in Torry.

Drugs Action provide Community Outreachsupport and counselling for drug users and their families, and the Integrated Drug Service provides support in rehabilitating drug and alcohol users from across the regeneration areas, as well as running a programme in Seaton in partnership with Aberdeen Cyrenians, Aberdeen Foyer, Phoenix Futures and NHS Grampian.

Literacy

4% of the fund (£100,000) will support a programme of literacy work. This will include developing a Literacy Learners' Forum for Aberdeen City, supporting joint working between the Healthwise project and NHS Grampian,providing Literacies and ICT work in the Blair Unit, Royal Cornhill Hospital, supporting a Family Learning PEER Group Project, and adding value to current literacies provision to support FSF initiatives.