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FM announces £4 million for extra jobs

First Minister, Alex Salmond, will today announce an additional £4 million for the Community Jobs Scotland programme, allowing the SCVO to deliver up to 1,200 job opportunities for young people, across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland.

The First Minister will make the announcement in a speech that will officially open the annual SCVO Gathering in Glasgow, where he will also confirm that 100 of these opportunities are specifically for people with a disability or long term health condition; and 200 are part of pilot programmes for young people from troubled backgrounds.

During his keynote address, the First Minister will also pay tribute to the invaluable work of the third sector in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in Scotland.

The First Minister will say:

“The third sector’s 45,000 organisations in Scotland, your 130,000 employees and more than one million volunteers – all of you are absolutely central to the wellbeing of communities across the country. This government hugely values the work you do – often in partnership with central or local government – in alleviating poverty, helping to reform public services, creating employment opportunities, and setting up successful social enterprises.

“We want to include you in our decision-making, to involve you in providing and reforming public services, and to work with you in building a fairer and more prosperous country.”

During the speech and in a subsequent panel debate the First Minister will also reflect on how issues such as welfare, equality and social justice will feature in the referendum campaign.

He will say:

“In Scotland the Parliament – and this is the parliament as a whole, rather than any one party - has pursued a largely progressive approach to promoting social justice over the last 15 years. We’ve built partnerships with civic Scotland, including the third sector, as a key part of that.”

Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO, said:

“Charities and the wider third sector are at the frontline tackling many of Scotland’s biggest challenges from unemployment and health and social care, to poverty and inequality. As the Gathering marks its 10^th anniversary, this is a vital opportunity to search for answers to these issues, which can make a lasting difference to people’s lives. It’s time for everyone to get involved in taking on these challenges, and I would urge anyone interested in volunteering or getting more involved in their communities to come along to find out more.

“The announcement of more investment in Community Jobs Scotland will allow the third sector to help change the lives of even more young people. Community jobs Scotland is strongly outperforming other employment initiatives on all counts with more than half of young people getting permanent jobs, doing more training or volunteering. It works for the young people who get a paid job and it works for the third sector organisations who benefit from extra staff support to help meet growing demand.”

Notes to editors

Community Jobs Fund Scotland

Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) is a scheme that began in August 2011 and is aimed at helping long-term unemployed people aged 16-24 into employment. It is being delivered by the SCVO in partnership with the Scottish Government, and will now enter its fourth phase.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with the third sector to support unemployed young people into work. The work of CJS has been an important part of this work and provides financial support to employers who host young people.

CJS offers an opportunity for unemployed people to be given a training opportunity in the third sector for a minimum of 6 months.

Participants receive at least the minimum wage; enhancement of longer term job prospects for participants through concrete job experience; job specific training provided by employer; additional training which enhances the participant’s wider prospects of securing a permanent job; for example Emergency First Aid at Work Support for the third sector as it seeks to continue to deliver services to communities across Scotland;

The Scottish Government is already committed to supporting the development of a capable, sustainable and enterprising third sector, this commitment will continue in an independent Scotland. During 2013/14 to 2014/15 we are investing almost £50 million between the two year period 2013-15 directly to build the capability and sustainability of the sector