Don’t let an unsuccessful application put you off applying again.  There are steps you can take for future funding success.

Subscribe to Adele’s BIG blog for regular funding updates  www.adelegoodfellow.wordpress.com

Up to £8 million of Lottery money is to be spent on supporting people affected by domestic abuse across Scotland through the Big Lottery Fund Scotland’s Becoming a Survivor scheme.

Opening to applications from today Becoming a Survivor will make grants from £10,000 to £1 million to help support people affected by domestic abuse and survivors of domestic abuse to be in a home of their choice and help them to move on with their lives both practically and emotionally.

Big Lottery Fund Scotland Director, Jackie Killeen says, “Across Scotland there are almost 60,000 recorded incidents of domestic abuse each year and research shows that victims of domestic abuse often feel unsafe in their own homes. Through Becoming a Survivor BIG has up to £8 million in National Lottery funding available to support people affected by domestic abuse.

“We believe this funding will make a difference to many people who have been affected by domestic abuse helping them to feel both practically and emotionally supported and in the long term we hope it may help give them a brighter future.”

Becoming a Survivor will provide support to men, women and children who have been affected by domestic abuse which has long been recognised as a major contributory factor to homelessness. Through Becoming a Survivor the Big Lottery Fund will support multi agency approaches to projects that help people who have experienced domestic abuse be in a home of their choice and provide them with the practical and emotional support necessary to make that choice successful and sustainable.

Scottish Women’s Aid Policy Worker, Jo Ozga adds, “ Domestic abuse is the fourth most common reason for making a homeless application in Scotland, with three quarters of applications being made by women. For many women ending an abusive relationship requires them to leave their home and for their children it often means leaving their school, their friends and community. The Becoming a Survivor scheme recognises the wider impact of domestic abuse and will support those affected to move to a more secure future.”

For more details regarding Becoming a Survivor go to http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland

Becoming a Survivor closes to applications on June 28, 2013

Celebrate Glasgow 2014 from Kelvin DeSena on Vimeo.

A new £4 million fund has opened which will help Scots celebrate their part in the Commonwealth before, during and after the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Ochil Steel Band

Celebrate is a joint scheme developed by the Scottish Lottery Distributor’s Forum which is made up of Big Lottery Fund Scotland, Creative Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund and sportScotland.

Celebrate is open to applications for events and projects which celebrate Glasgow 2014 or that are inspired by Scottish links to the 71 nations and territories which make up the Commonwealth.

To find out more watch this video of our opening launch, visit our website, follow us on Twitter and join us on Facebook.

Jenni said: “I have personally experienced parental separation and the consequences attached. Due to my personal experience I understand the difficult emotions and thoughts to deal with when going through family break up.”

Jenni Pringle

The H2H project sets up a meeting with a young person for an hour every week, for six weeks. The life guides offer a listening ear and show the individual how to cope with this difficult time in their life. The meetings take place in public, mostly in cafes or eating places and are informal. The discussions can be challenging for the young person because they have to talk about personal circumstances but all conversations are confidential and designed to increase confidence as well as provide a safe and relaxed space. 

Today’s Young Start grant of £50,000 means the H2H project can counsel and provide guidance to young people aged 11 to 18 years old. Heart to Heart is based in Callander and the project will provide two co-ordinators to cover Stirling, Dunblane and Callander. The six week programme will involve one-to-one and group support with other young people who are going through the same experience as well as the type of mentoring that life guides, such as Jenni, provide.

Can Investing in Ideas fund a feasibility study?

Yes, as a basis it can. It has to be a feasibility study to explore a new idea or a new way of working. This means it cannot fund existing ideas or existing ways of working.

Page 10 of our Guidance notes has a full list of what can and cannot be funded.

We are interested in applying to Growing Community Assets. Do we need to own the asset or can it be on a lease?

It must be owned. The focus of this fund is for communities to have ownership and control of an asset. In turn, a lease does not meet this focus.

The community does not need to own it when you apply though. It should nonetheless be the ultimate goal.

You can find out more about the requirements for Growing Community Assets in our Guidance notes.

What is the aim of Communities and Families Fund?

It is to help local projects which help families and communities to give children the best start in life. This is for working with pre-birth to eight years of age.

You can find out more about applying on our website.

Tips on applying

Applying for funding is very competitive. As part of this, we have hints and tips that can potentially increase your chances of being successful. This month’s top tips are for Young Start.

You can watch Adele’s hints and tips for applying for project benefitting 8 to 24 year olds. If you are a sports group applying to Young Start, you might find this useful as well.

If you have any other questions about our funding, you can go to Ask BIG, where we give you answers to other commonly asked questions.

Alternatively, if you can’t find your answer at Ask BIG, you can email us at enquiries.scotland@biglotteryfund.org.uk

The webinar will cover the main aspects of the programme, final hints and tips for applications and other funding options that might suit your activity. We will also give you the chance to ask questions about the programme.

Reserve your Webinar place now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/613730150

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Full details as follows:

Title: Support and Connect: an overview for applicants
Date: Friday, May 3, 2013
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM BST

Find out details about the Young Start programme www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/youngstartfund

For even more Young Start hints and tips check out Ask BIG

Subscribe to Adele’s BIG Lottery blog for regular funding updates wwww.adelegoodfellow.wordpress.com

Ian Lamond being interviewed by the BBC

The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) formally handed over the reins to its largest single investment in Scotland as the £50 million Life Changes Trust launched in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

The creation of Life Changes Trust is the largest single investment from BIG in Scotland and has been made to bring about a step change in the way young people leaving care and people with dementia and their carers access support and services in Scotland in the future. 

There are over 16,000 looked after children in Scotland and young people leaving care face unparalleled challenges. They are more likely to be excluded from school and less likely to go on to higher education. The statistics speak for themselves:-

• Over 20% of Scotland’s 16-19 year olds out of education or employment are recent care leavers
• Only 3% of care leavers go on to gain any higher education qualifications
• Only 1% of care leavers go on to University compared to 37% of all young people
• 50% of looked after children will have a mental health issued compared to 10% of all 15-16 year olds

BIG believes that through the creation of the Life Changes Trust the outlook for all young care leavers in Scotland will change forever and the funding will help young care leavers like Ian achieve a brighter future.

Ian said: “I was four when I was taken into care. I was in the same unit until I was 15 but I only remember things from about 13 onwards.”

Ian then spent over a year in foster care and had his own tenancy but is now back with his family and looking for employment. He’s completed Security Industry Authorities (SIA) training and is currently taking part in a six month outdoors programme with Venture Scotland so that he can become a volunteer with them.

Ian said: “I love being outdoors and enjoy the peace and quiet of the mountains.”

The £50 million will be split evenly (£25 million each) between the two beneficiary groups.

 The creation of Life Changes Trust is the largest single investment from BIG in Scotland and has been made to bring about a step change in the way young people leaving care and people with dementia and their carers access support and services in Scotland in the future.

 There are currently 86,000 people with dementia – a figure forecast to double in the next 25 years. The £50 million will be split evenly between the two beneficiary groups and the funding will help people with dementia like Henry Rankin.

 Henry is 59 years old – a retired policeman and married with three children. He’s a keen bowler but believes some might say not a very good one. He has vascular dementia but it does not define him. His actions, hopes and dreams define him. His family sat in a waiting room when Henry was given his diagnosis. He wasn’t told what vascular dementia was but was assured there was no cure.

 At the time he was suffering from memory loss and was confused. More so than in many other conditions he needed someone to be there with him. He needed information in a way that he could take in but was offered nothing. Henry left the doctor believing he would be dead in six months. In an instant, Henry’s life changed and he was left feeling isolated and abandoned by the medical profession.

 Henry found out about vascular dementia through the internet. He went from being a sociable, confident individual to someone who didn’t want to get up in the morning. His wife put him in contact with Alzheimer Scotland and there he met people who were in the same position as him. Through those people he faced up to his vascular dementia and looked forward again to his future. He learned to laugh again and be himself again.

 So yes, Henry has dementia but more importantly he is Henry Rankin, a retired policeman who’s married with three children. And his hopes and dreams for the future are that one day he’s going to win the singles championship at his bowling club – he may not be the best bowler but nothing will stop him trying.

You can find more details about our Young Start programme in the link below:

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/youngstartfund

Looking for regular funding updates? Subscribe to Adele’s blog and follow her on her BIG Lottery Fund journey www.adelegoodfellow.wordpress.com

If you have any further questions about Young Start please email enquiries.scotland@biglotteryfund.org.uk