22 July 2016
Aberdeenshire has been awarded £586,000 of funding from the European Social Fund
Four projects in Aberdeenshire have been successful in securing a total of £536,000 from the European Social Fund (ESF).
The ESF is the main EU financial instrument for supporting employability and promoting economic and social inclusion in the EU.
The Scottish government has secured 464 million EUR (£357 million) of ESF funding for the period 2014-2020 of which Aberdeenshire Council and the Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership has secured £3.2 million for the period 2014-2018. Aberdeenshire’s ESF programme is made up of two strands, Inclusion and Employability.
The successful projects are being led by Fraserburgh Development Trust, Kincardine and Mearns Citizens Advice Bureau, South West Aberdeenshire Citizens Advice Bureau and Turriff and District Citizens Advice Bureau. A further two Aberdeenshire Council-led projects have been awarded a total of £228,000.
The projects all aim to reduce poverty across Aberdeenshire through the provision of a range of services such as debt advice, confidence building, skills development and assisting socially excluded individuals to become financially secure and able to participate in their community.
With the aid of ESF funding, the projects will provide support to around 6,500 residents across Aberdeenshire.
Councillor Richard Thomson, Co-Leader of Aberdeenshire Council, said:
“The projects that have been awarded funding will provide vital services to residents across Aberdeenshire. These projects will help to break down barriers for some of our most vulnerable citizens in accessing employment and financial security and most importantly, they will be delivered in the local community.”
Aberdeenshire Council and the Aberdeenshire Planning Partnership are currently looking for more partners to put forward applications to obtain ESF funding under the Employability strand.
The Employability Strand aims to provide employability support to those that require support. All activities will be tailored to the needs of individuals facing multiple barriers to entering and/or progressing into and through the labour market. Interested applicants should contact Aberdeenshire Council for more information