Charities in Scotland that support children and young people affected by substance issues are set to benefit from an additional £1m of funding through The Partnership Drugs Initiative (PDI). The Robertson Trust is joining the existing partnership between Corra Foundation and the Scottish Government, increasing the amount of funding that is available over the next four years.
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People, said: “Since the PDI was established in 2000 it has awarded over £20m to support work with vulnerable children and young people across Scotland. In addition to this invaluable support, the feedback and evidence from these projects continues to influence policy and practice going forward. This extra £1 million will mean even more vulnerable young people and their families will get the help they need.”
The number of children and young people in Scotland affected by substance issues means the PDI always receives more applications than it is able to fund, and the additional £1m of funding from The Robertson Trust will enable more life-changing work to be supported.
Mary Craig OBE, Chief Executive of Corra Foundation, said: “We are delighted that The Robertson Trust is joining the longstanding partnership we have with the Scottish Government. As charities have to match all the funding awarded, the total value of work supported as a direct result of PDI awards to date is more than £40m. The £1m The Robertson Trust has committed will translate into £2m of delivery which means many more children, young people and families will have access to support that can turn their lives around.”
Kenneth Ferguson, Director of The Robertson Trust, said: “The Robertson Trust is strongly committed to addressing drug and alcohol issues in Scotland and like any grant-maker we want our funds to have the most positive impact possible. The PDI makes a significant difference to the lives of young people across Scotland, and we know that the £1m we have committed will help many more young people and families receive the right support at the right time. This not only makes life better for these young people, families and the communities where they live, it also improves the life-chances of the next generation.”
The PDI funds work focused on:
• Children and young people affected by parental/carer substance issues (alcohol and other drugs)
• Children and young people at higher risk of developing issues relating to alcohol and other drugs
• Young people in need of support due to their own alcohol or other drug related issue
The next opportunity to access funding will be in April 2015. Information on all funding rounds to the PDI including the deadline dates are published on Corra Foundation’s website. The programme encourages charities to discuss potential funding ideas with the staff prior to submission.
