Meeting of the Parliament 08 November 2023
Scotland has committed to getting it right for every child and to creating an equal society in which every child and young person in Scotland can reach their full potential. To create an equal society, we must provide equal access to opportunity. Funding from cashback for communities allows organisations to remove barriers to access and to strengthen communities. We have heard from the minister about the £130 million that has been spent through the scheme since its inception, which has supported about 1.3 million young people.
I will provide a local example from my constituency to highlight the huge difference that even a small proportion of those funds can make at local level. Barry Hughes has told me about the impact that cashback for communities funding has for Raploch scouts. That scout group, as well as others in Stirling, including in Braehead, received cashback for communities funding through Scouts Scotland. Barry started Raploch scouts in 2019. At the beginning he had only eight beavers, but the group has been so successful that he now has more than 60.
Scouts and similar groups give so much to young people and their communities. Research has found that young people who are involved in scouting learn more skills, volunteer more often and contribute to our having a kinder and more cohesive society. Children who are in poverty face damaging stigma that erodes their confidence and their mental health, and those who live in areas of deprivation face barriers to accessing activities that could build their confidence and life skills.
Cashback for communities funding has allowed Raploch scouts to remove barriers for many who otherwise would struggle to participate, especially during the current cost of living crisis. The uniform alone is quite expensive—it is £21 for a scout shirt—but, using cashback for communities funds, Raploch scouts has provided uniforms for all its members. Many scout groups ask for parents and care givers to pay up front for a term of meetings, to book activities in advance and to purchase materials. However, Barry told me that the £35 a term quickly adds up, especially when families have two or three children attending. Funds from cashback for communities have provided a pot of money to be used for up-front bookings and to allow Raploch scouts to operate on a pay-as-you-go basis. That small change has made a massive difference.
The money has also allowed Raploch scouts to fund camping trips. It has already taken two trips this year to Invertrossachs by Loch Venachar, which is a beautiful area in my constituency. For many of the group’s members, those are the only trips away that they will get this year. The young people have gained so much from that: without the funding, many would not be able to enjoy those opportunities or to participate at all. Investment in such experiences for young people is also preventative spend for our justice system.
Scouts Scotland is only one of the many partners of cashback for communities that are making real and positive changes in my constituency. With nearly £2 million having been spent across Stirling since 2008, reinvestment of the proceeds of crime is having a transformational impact and is strengthening local communities. It is a real force for good.
I echo the minister’s commendation and look forward to seeing what the future will bring for the initiative.
16:08