News & Events

The deadline for applications to the Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund (RRLF) has been extended to Wednesday 30th September. The fund (delivered by Social Investment Business in partnership with other organisations, including Social Investment Scotland) is open to social enterprises and charities working to improve people’s lives across the UK, who are experiencing disruption to their normal business model as a result of COVID-19. Loans are available from £100,000 to £1.5 million.

Connecting Scotland’s Stage Two is now open to applications. The programme provides iPads, Chromebooks and support to develop digital skills for people who are all of the following: digitally excluded – no device and/or internet connection; cannot afford to buy a device or pay for internet access; and are either households with children or where a child is normally resident, or care leavers up to the age of 26 years old. The deadline for applications to Stage Two is 11am on Monday 5th October.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) has created a new Community Engagement website, designed to support people and communities in shaping health and care services in Scotland. The website includes pages on supporting communities, equipping professionals and sharing practice, and “Engaging Differently”. Through Engaging Differently, HIS is looking for groups and organisations to share their experiences of health and social care of engagement activity happening at a distance, via an online form.

Job Start Payment is a new payment of £250 for young people aged 16 –24 years old, who have been out of paid work and receiving certain benefits. To be eligible, young people need to have been offered a job with an offer date on or after Monday 17th August 2020. Social Security Scotland has released a stakeholder resources kit on the payment, including a factsheet, and a social media toolkit.