Main Grants Programme Case Studies

Fife - Fife Womens Technology Centre

CRT Funding:  £82,284 - Total Project Costs:  £83,284

Fife Women’s Technology Centre (FWTC) is an award winning training organisation which has been delivering training in new technologies since 1990.

The organisation relocated to Lochgelly in April 2008 and has developed and designed a training programme, funded by The Coalfields Regeneration Trust and supported by Fife Council, which aims to provide the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to move from unemployment to employment.  The courses provide learners with a range a range of qualifications from SVQ level 2 to SVQ level 4 (equivalent) and the technical progression courses provide industry recognised qualifications, e.g. A+ and CCNA. CRT funding was secured in 2008 to drive the programme forward.

Awareness of employment opportunities is addressed through ongoing guidance, inter-agency information workshops and organisational visits, and extra support with literacy or numeracy, in the form of Adult Basic Education or English for Speakers of Other Languages is provided as required.

As well as in-house learning opportunities, an outreach IT programme has also been awarded £29,731 by CRT,  to take IT skills to the more socially isolated and excluded in former coalfield communities. 

West Lothian - Fauldhouse Community Development Trust           

CRT Funding:  £75,168 - Total Project Costs:  £97,400

Fauldhouse Community Development Trust in West Lothian recently received a grant to enable it to employ a Development Worker to help with capacity building and growth.

This is an important step forward for the Trust, and means they will be able to achieve more, and see results more quickly. Specific activities the Development Worker is taking forward include supporting development of local community groups and businesses, providing new opportunities and encouraging participation of individuals in their community, organising community events, and increasing communication and access to local information.

All of these contribute to the environmental, economic and social regeneration of the local community.

East Lothian - Pennypit Special Needs Youth Club - The Pit Stop café

CRT Funding £68,293 - Total Project Costs - £175,157

In 2008 this project was awarded a Main Grant of £68,293  as part of the funding required to set up a training community café within the centre. Working in partnership with Jewel and  Esk Valley College and  Starbucks, the café offers training and work placements to youngsters with special needs, as well as providing a community meeting place for visitors to the centre.

Since the café opened, demand for work placements has soared with referrals coming from social work, schools and independent agencies. Trainees study for basic Food Hygiene qualifications, going on to SVQ where possible. As well as their catering studies, the trainees have classes in adult literacy and money handling, all enabling them to progress towards independent living.

The café promotes healthy eating and uses local suppliers where possible, including strawberries from a nearby fruit farm for strawberry teas, which were served all day  when the centre was used as a polling station for European elections recently.

Jackie Munro the centre manager said that “ The CRT funding has enabled us to create something in the area for these young people. The demand for our services is increasing and the grant has had a positive effect on the local community. We are very grateful for CRT’s support”.

Alloa, Clackmannanshire - L.A.D.A – Locals Against Drug Abuse

CRT Funding £20,158 - Total Project Costs £23,358

In 2008 this organisation was awarded a main grant of £56,371 to support staffing and create a new development worker’s post. The project supports those struggling with drug addiction, and also provides a range of services for the families of drug users, including complementary therapies such as acupuncture, massage and Reiki.

The funding of the new development worker has enabled LADA to extend its services to include evening, weekend and street work and it has seen its number of service users almost double in the past year. Agnes Douglas, the project manager said “The support from CRT has led to a much improved service and enabled us to reach a far wider client group. The staff at CRT have been fantastic, they have a real understanding of the communities they work in and the problems we face.”

The grant has also allowed the project to expand to include alcohol abuse in young teens, and LADA staff work closely with police, schools and youth workers to identify youngsters at risk at an early stage in their lives.

One of the service users, John, said “This place has changed my life. I come here most days and the staff help you deal with things. You can talk to them about any problems and if this place wasn’t here, people like me wouldn’t be so far on in their lives. They helped to get on a computer course and I’ve had acupuncture which helps me deal with anxiety and panic attacks. I feel much better about my life now.”

(Pictures above show a group of staff and volunteers. The other picture shows Pauline Shaw – the development worker funded by CRT – and Steve Nugent, a volunteer)

East Ayrshire - Drongan Health Initiative - Zigzag Wall

CRT Funding £41,975 - Total Project Costs £41,975

The Drongan health Initiative was awarded a Main Grant of £41,975 in 2008 to allow it to buy specialist fitness and sports equipment to be used by a range of organisations in East Ayrshire. The Initiative had already been successful in applying for a Bridging the Gap award to purchase a Sportz Pod, and the Main Grant allowed the project to progress to the next stage of development.

The equipment is hired out a very low cost to small community groups and a huge interest is now being shown by bodies such as the NHS who see the healthy benefits from using this sort of equipment on a regular basis.  The Initiative have been so successful in managing the sports project, that they have now negotiated a partnership arrangement with the suppliers to promote the existing equipment and pilot new products as soon as they become available.

Demand for the Sportz Pod and the ZigZag wall is huge, with the dance mats being a particular favourite and local groups from the Scouts to the Rugby Club are queuing up to hire training kit.

Rosalie McCluskey , who runs the project is delighted with the way the idea has taken off. “ The CRT funding to allow us to purchase this equipment has made a tremendous difference to the community” she said. “  It is affordable and accessible to all so that the Health Initiative is not the only project to benefit – a wide range of other groups in the area are also benefitting from healthy activities”

The Health Initiative has trained a large number of volunteers in the use of the equipment and continues to go from strength to strength with a range of innovative projects; The Youth on Bikes scheme whereby local youngsters deliver fruit and vegetables to the elderly recently won the Philip Lawrence Award for Citizenship!

Lanarkshire - Recap

CRT Funding £67,394 - Total Project Cost £70,717

Furniture recycling project Recap has hit the ground running after receiving a £67,000 grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Recap used the money to extend their service into former mining communities in the Kelvin Valley, including Twechar, Moodiesburn, Chryston, Auchinloch and Croy.

Joe Thomas, Scottish Trustee of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust said: “We are delighted to support Recap and help them offer their service to local communities which once relied on the mining industry.

“Recap does a first class job in collecting unwanted furniture and white goods, totally refurbishing them and offering them to those in need at affordable prices.

“Now former coalfield communities that are still suffering from the loss of their local pits will benefit from a local service from Recap.”

Vincent Murray, Chairperson of Recap said: “Ever since we started a pilot project in an old dole office in Cumbernauld Town Centre we have been swamped by demand for our service.

“We’ve been getting a lot of calls from people in former mining villages in the Kelvin Valley, so we applied for a grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to help us meet that demand.

“Now we will be able to offer them a fast and efficient service, thanks to our grant from the Trust, which has enabled us to buy a new van and pays for the costs of employing a driver for the next two years.”

Recap, which is based at Lenziemill in Cumbernauld has a staff of 12 as well as a team of trainees and volunteers.

Vincent added: “Our service has three real benefits.

“We provide good quality furniture at very affordable prices to people who really need it, we help people escape from long term unemployment, and we do our bit to save the planet by diverting really bulky furniture from landfill sites.”