Cashback funding changes lives

The Scottish Government announced this week that a further £570,000 CashBack funding is to be invested to create life-changing opportunities for young people through Development Awards provided through the Prince’s Trust Scotland.

With three in four young people who receive a Development Award moving into work, self-employment, education or training, today’s announcement will continue to provide Scotland’s young people with crucial support to get into the job market, further education and training.

The £300,000 CashBack Development Awards funding over the last three years has allowed the Prince’s Trust to provide developments awards to 625 young people which resulted in over 500 of them overcoming financial barriers to get into work, training and self-employment.

Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women’s Employment, made the announcement while meeting Frederica Vinella, who used a Development Award to build a successful furniture restoration business in the Meadowbank area of Edinburgh.

Ms Constance said: “Youth employment is one of this Government’s top priorities and we are determined to provide as many opportunities and as much support as possible for young people, regardless of their background, to get into training, apprenticeships and jobs.

These CashBack awards, while modest, have had a huge impact in opening up routes into training and work for those that receive them.  “I am very pleased that we have almost doubled the CashBack funding to £570,000 to ensure awards are open and inclusive for young people across the length and breadth of the country and I look forward to seeing how the lives of many more young women and men will be transformed.”

Frederica is among those who transformed her life with help from a CashBack Prince’s Trust Development Award. Having struggled to find work, a development award enabled her to cover the cost of buying tools and realise her ambition to start her own furniture restoration business in 2013.

One year on, Frederica now has her own studio, a wide customer base and has high hopes for the future.

She said: “Without Development Award through CashBack funding and the Prince’s Trust, I don’t think my business would be in the shape it is in today.

“Starting the business has been an amazing experience for me. I’m beginning to see customers come back again and again, which feels really good. My hope is to now build the business to be self-sustaining and have a long life.

“The Prince’s Trust has been priceless in helping me to become a young entrepreneur and this kind of support is vital in giving young people the opportunity to take control of their own future. Today’s announcement will help many more young people find their way in life and help create successful careers for themselves.”

Allan Watt, Director of The Prince’s Trust Scotland, said: “It is a difficult time for young people, but we are delighted with the recent drop in youth unemployment.  The Development Awards programme has a crucial role to play in helping more young people access work, education or business, but who lack funds for vital training and equipment.

“Funding from Cashback for Communities has allowed The Prince’s Trust to offer Development Awards to help many young people through this difficult economic time and this funding will help hundreds more.”