Our plan for Scotland: what it means for young people

The First Minister has set out the Scottish Government’s plans for the next year.

Here’s just some of the action we’re taking in government to support Scotland’s young people.

• A new Jobs Grant will be introduced for 16-24 year olds returning to work after six months unemployment. We’ll offer three months’ free bus travel to those receiving the grant.

• We will provide 26,000 Modern Apprenticeship starts in the current financial year as a step towards providing 30,000 MA starts by 2020.

• For Modern Apprentices facing redundancy, we will help them find an alternative employer to complete their apprenticeship through Adopt an Apprentice.

• We will provide free bus travel for Modern Apprentices under 21.

• We will continue to protect free university tuition and will take forward a range of actions to ensure that by 2030 students from the 20 per cent most deprived backgrounds represent 20 per cent of university entrants.

• We will maintain 116,000 full time equivalent college places.

• We will take forward our plans to deliver 50,000 homes over the next five years – 35,000 of them housing association or council homes.

• We’ll continue to help people purchase a home through our shared equity programmes.

• We will continue to guarantee a learning or training place to all 16 to 19 year olds not already in education, training or employment.

• From 2017-18 we will entitle all care experienced young people to full university bursaries and will guarantee a place for those who fulfil the minimum entry requirements.

• We will invest £6.1 million in Community Jobs Scotland to create 700 more training opportunities, with support for 16 to 29 year olds that face the greatest barriers to work.

• We will undertake a major review of student support to ensure it continues to meet the needs of students, particularly the most vulnerable.

• We will work with the General Teaching Council for Scotland to ensure that schools address the important issues that LGBTI young people face, and that teachers have the skills, knowledge and confidence to embed inclusive approaches in their schools.

• We will double the number of accredited Living Wage employers from 500 in March 2016 to 1,000 by Autumn 2017.

• We will publish a new mental health strategy, supported by increased investment of £150 million over the coming Parliamentary term.
  

• We will produce a Child and Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which will cover both physical and mental wellbeing, and set the direction for the next ten years.

• The Family Nurse Partnership will be available to all first-time teenage mothers by the end of 2018. The scheme provides targeted support to young mothers to help them give their children the very best start in life.

• We will ensure young people have greater access to cultural opportunities, including by refreshing the Youth Music Initiative and supporting Sistema Scotland’s orchestra projects.