NEWS: Criminal cash diverted to fund youth projects

23 January 2020

Youth projects throughout Scotland are set to benefit from nearly £20m recovered from criminals.

CashBack for Communities is a Scottish government scheme that takes money recovered under proceeds of crime laws and invests it into communities.

Many of the projects selected for funding help young people who are deemed at risk of falling into a life of crime and anti-social behaviour.

A total of 24 organisations have now been awarded funding by the scheme.

This tranche of funding, for £19m, takes the programme's total investment to more than £110m since it began in 2008.

Organisations benefitting from the fund for the first time include Inverness' Eden Court arts project, the Mayfield and Easthouses Youth 2000 project, based in Midlothian, Cyrenians, and the SPFL Trust.

They join a list of more than 20 groups receiving funding, which also includes Action for Children, Barnardos, Celtic Football Club Foundation, Rangers Charity Foundation, Police Scotland's peer mentoring project, the Princes' Trust and the SFA.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said it was a "unique and potentially life-transforming programme".

He added: "This phase of [the cash back scheme] has a particular focus on projects that support young people and communities most affected by crime.

"Since the programme began in 2008 we have delivered over two and a half million activities and opportunities for young people across Scotland and I am delighted that many further young people will be supported and inspired over the next three years."

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