More than 1,000 job opportunities for unemployed young people are to be created as part of a £6.1 million investment, the First Minister has announced.
The opportunities will be delivered as part of the next phase of the Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) programme, which is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO).
So far, more than 5,500 young people have benefited from the programme, which offers six to 18-month training posts to unemployed vulnerable people, aged 16 to 24.
Nicola Sturgeon met some of the young people involved in the programme when she visited Castlemilk Stables in Glasgow today.
She tried her hand at painting with older people in the art studio and played with some of the babies and toddlers in the nursery.
She said: “On the day I was sworn in as First Minister I set out my commitment to make sure that everyone in Scotland – no matter their background – has the best chance to get on in life.
“This £6.1 million investment will deliver over 1,000 job opportunities for young people in Scotland who are, for one reason or another, struggling to find work.
“This funding will help to give them the training, skills and confidence to achieve what they want to in life.
“We have seen many success stories from this programme. This year, following recommendations on how to best develop our young workforce, we will offer additional support to those who need it most, such as care leavers.
“Importantly, to ensure young people get a fair start in employment all of those taking part in the programme will have the opportunity to benefit from the Living Wage.”
Since 2011, the Scottish Government has invested more than £35 million in CJS and so far the programme has supported more than 5,500 unemployed young people, across all 32 local authorities.
As part of this year’s programme, SCVO will deliver at least 1,000 job training opportunities across all 32 local authorities in 2015-2016.
It aims to deliver opportunities for 300 vulnerable young people such as care leavers and ex-offenders, 100 for disabled young people and others for young people across the 16-24 age group.
Later, Ms Sturgeon will outline her plans to make Scotland “a land of opportunity” in a speech for the David Hume Institute.
The First Minister will set out ways in which Scotland can remove the barriers that some people face and ensure that education plays a key role in tackling inequality and growing the economy.
Ms Sturgeon will say: “The education I got is a major reason why I’m able to stand here today as the First Minister of Scotland.
“So, it’s important to me personally that every young girl and boy growing up today – regardless of their background – gets the chance to do the same.
“The removal of obstructions to education, and the opening up of new opportunities, has been the focus of many of the major initiatives of my first 100 days.
“From supporting mothers in the early stages of pregnancy, to helping people gain their first experience of work, this Government is committed to promoting opportunities and reducing inequalities.
“Because education is not just part of our sense of ourselves, it’s the key to a better future for young people growing up in Scotland today.
“It is at the heart of the fairer, more prosperous Scotland, that all of us seek to build.”