Scottish Parliament Salutes Scout Centenary

07/12/2007

and Minister announces new 3 year funding to support Youth Work Volunteering

During a debate in the Scottish Parliament on 6th December to mark 100 years of Scouting, Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years, announced a new funding package of £1.5 million over 3 years, providing young people in Scotland with more opportunities to excel.

The funding support package of £0.5 million a year for national youth voluntary organisations will contribute to a better future for the country's young people as it delivers over the next three years.

He said: "Scotland's young people are an invaluable asset and the continued prosperous future for our nation rests on them being valued and nurtured.

"It is vitally important that they are given every support in their formative years and the existence of this fund has already enabled national voluntary youth organisations to offer them more choices and more chances as they grow."

The package will mean the continuation of the Voluntary Organisations Support Fund which was set up as part of the Youth Work Strategy Year of Action to support national voluntary youth organisations develop capacity, provide better training and build towards a brighter future for young people. It is being delivered through YouthLink Scotland, the National Youth Work Agency.

Scouting in Scotland has secured funding of almost £60,000 this year to support volunteer leader, office bearer, administrator and staff training, and to help the transition towards a new 8-Region operating structure from April 2008.

The Members Debate to mark the Centenary of Scouting was proposed by Robert Brown MSP (a Queen's Scout), with strongly supportive contributions from members of various parties. The debate was attended by Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members, along with other Scouting members and guests. Carrie Gibson, the first person in the world to summit Everest through a Scouting activity, was also present and warmly applauded for her achievement.

At a reception afterwards the Minister (formerly a Scout in Ayrshire) presented a 40 Year Service Award to Gordon Capie, current Charirman of the Lochgoilhead Board, and acknowledged the invaluable contribution of volunteers to the development of young people through Scouting and other youth work organisations.

Scottish Government - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2007/12/07094436
07/12/07