Crime proceeds to steer young people in Renfrewshire South away from offending.
More than £18 million seized from criminals is to fund projects which divert disadvantaged young people away from crime.
The CashBack for Communities scheme reinvests criminal assets into community projects which support young people into positive destinations, diverting some away from potentially criminal or anti-social behaviour.
The scheme has seen a total of £1,455,144 invested in 71,284 activities in Renfrewshire and £949,331 invested in 30,346 activities in East Renfrewshire since it began in 2008.
Project partners who benefited from the fund and delivered projects in Renfrewshire South last year included Ocean Youth Trust, Scottish Sports Futures, Creative Scotland and YouthLink Scotland.
The next phase of funding will take total investment in the programme, which is unique to Scotland, to almost £110 million.
CashBack has funded a variety of projects in the past 11 years, all of which provide opportunities to raise the attainment, ambition and aspirations of young people who may face barriers.
Commenting on the success to date, local SNP MSP Tom Arthur said:
“It’s great to see further funding going towards a scheme which is making a difference to young lives here in Renfrewshire South and across Scotland.
“Every young person growing up in Scotland deserves to have an equal chance of success no matter their circumstances – CashBack has a vital part to play in expanding young people’s horizons and helping them reach their full potential. I would encourage any local charities or organisations looking to benefit from funding to find out more on the scheme’s website.”
Minister for Community Safety Ash Denham said:
“Since CashBack for Communities began in 2008 we have delivered nearly two and a half million activities and opportunities for young people across all local authorities in Scotland.
“The next stage of CashBack will have particular focus on projects that support young people and communities most affected by crime. I’m pleased to say that we have increased funding for this latest phase by £1 million – taking the total amount available over three years to £18 million.
“The numbers of children referred to the Children’s Reporter on offence grounds or prosecuted in the courts have fallen substantially over the last decade and our CashBack programme supports that progress by giving many of Scotland’s most disadvantaged young people a wide range of positive opportunities to challenge themselves and inspire those around them.”
Phase 5 of the CashBack for Communities programme opened for applications from 12 noon on 15 May, running until 28 June. Find more details here: https://cashbackforcommunities.org/
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Background
The CashBack for Communities programme is a unique Scottish Government Programme which takes funds recovered through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and invests them into community programmes, facilities and activities largely, but not exclusively, for young people at risk of turning to crime and anti-social behaviour as a way of life.