A CROSSHILL-based charity has been awarded a £20,000 grant thanks to Bank of Scotland Foundation, an independent charity funded by Lloyds Banking Group. 

Re-Employ has been given the funding as a two-year, unrestricted grant of £10,000 per year which can be used towards core costs, delivery costs, project costs and general running costs, enabling them to use the funding to best support the vulnerable people within the community.

Irene Donaldson, the organisation's founder, told the Times: "The Bank of Scotland Funding over a two-year period will enable us to use the funding, mainly towards staff costs.

"This will enable us to work more closely with the local community and the unemployed, especially those with health conditions and disadvantaged adults, to have work experience with us to help them move forward in their job search or identify how they can progress life chances.

"We provide opportunities in a welcoming, safe and inclusive workplace to those who might not have been given these chances elsewhere. Our social enterprise produces a wide range of products for domestic and commercial use.

"People with disabilities are taken on as employees and volunteers. They are placed right at the heart of the operation and experience all aspects of the business including manufacturing, design, administration, marketing, customer service, packaging, shipping and cleaning.

"They receive ongoing on-the-job support, including mentoring and regular training. Our provision offers the opportunity to engage in a variety of workplace disciplines and to develop technical skills such as embroidery, design and laser cutting.

"The operation provides a chance to work, build skills, showcase achievements, learn and develop workplace capabilities. It has been set up as a service that unemployed people with disabilities can turn to for support to assist their progress toward employment.

"We worked closely with over 30 individuals last year and we expect to increase those numbers significantly this year. We aim to become an SQA-accredited training provider, this development will allow us to deliver qualifications directly, more efficiently, in-house.

"We want to increase the scope of our provision to include early intervention, which will involve working with younger people aged 16+ who have additional support needs as they transition from school.

"We will also be developing our partnerships and within that our role as a Disability Confident leader which will improve our ability to connect people to appropriate employment opportunities provided by employers who, after our support, will be more adequately equipped to cater for their needs."

Re-Employ is one of 63 charities that are benefitting from a share of £1.26 million through the Bank of Scotland Foundation's multi-year, unrestricted grant programme, Energise. 

Donald MacKechnie, chair of the Bank of Scotland Foundation, added: "Our Energise programme highlights the importance of providing unrestricted funding for Scottish charities, as it enables them to respond flexibly and effectively to community needs.

"With over 40 per cent of our funding reaching the top 25 per cent most deprived areas in Scotland, we are proud to play a role in creating a brighter future for Scotland's communities and supporting those who need it most.

"We're also delighted that over a third of the grants we’re making are to charities who are first-time applicants to the foundation, with charities describing our application process as simple, proportionate and quick."