The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, part of the UK Government’s commitment to communities, allocated £4.3 million to Stirling Council to distribute to local groups and businesses.
In total, 29 projects have now received confirmation of financial support – from a new changing places facilities to aid accessible tourism in Tyndrum, to out of school care in Cornton and funding for a range of community programmes in Cowie.
Funding of £90,000 has also been allocated to launch The Career Ambassador Programme. It will match Forth Valley College students with designated volunteer ambassadors from the NHS Forth Valley workforce to help recognise the wide range of employment opportunities in the local health service.
The bulk of the funding package, first confirmed in 2022, has been allocated for 2023/24 and 2024/25 following a rigorous application process against three investment priorities:
- Community and Place – fostering a sense of local pride and building resilient, healthy and safe neighbourhoods
- Supporting local business – creating jobs, promoting networking and increasing private sector investment
- People and Skills – supporting adults to progress in work, supporting people to overcome barriers to work and supporting local areas to fund gaps in local skills provision
Stirling Council leader, Cllr Chris Kane, said: “It is great to see the breadth of support that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will provide to local businesses, people and communities.
“The funding will support those people and organisations with the greatest needs, ensuring that opportunities to develop and grow are available to all.
“Projects such as The Career Ambassador Programme will make a real difference to the careers of students from a wide range of backgrounds, who may have had a disruption to their education or work experience.
“It will allow them to benefit from the wisdom, knowledge and enthusiasm of our Forth Valley healthcare workforce and provide inspiration, guidance and, ultimately, employment opportunities in one of the most important sectors in our society.”
Awareness
Pauline Jackson, Development and Fundraising Manager for Forth Valley College, said: “We were delighted to be awarded funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and although the Ambassador project is in its early stages, it is already having a positive impact and adding value for our learners through raising awareness about opportunities across the NHS.”
Noelle MacKay, NHS Forth Valley Employability Manager, added: “This programme offers NHS Forth Valley a unique opportunity for staff across the organisation to engage with our future workforce in a way that that is both enjoyable and supportive.
“We hope the students will benefit from learning more about what NHS Forth Valley has to offer them as potential employees in a diverse range of roles. Our ambassadors are staff who are passionate about their roles and committed to supporting and positively influencing the career choices these students make.”
A full list of projects funded can be found on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund section on the Stirling Council website.
* The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus