The Scottish Government is pledging almost £1m of funding to help vulnerable youngsters into work.
Economy secretary Fiona Hyslop said the cash was being allocated as the impact of Covid-19 had hit young people “especially” hard, making it more difficult for them to find employment.
A total of £986,702 is now being invested to help provide pre-employment support for about 1300 16 and 17-year-olds.
The work, which is part of the Scottish Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee, is aimed at helping vulnerable youngsters – including those who have been in care, young carers, disabled children, those who are homeless, those with mental health problems, youngsters with criminal convictions and refugees.
Announcing the funding, Hyslop said: “This pandemic continues to hit us hard – especially our young people who are facing fewer opportunities, and even more so for those who are vulnerable and have recently left school.
“As part of our national mission to create jobs, and through our Young Person’s Guarantee, we must all work together to help this generation who have been caught so cruelly in the eye of the coronavirus storm.”
The support will be provided by two dedicated programmes, with Hyslop saying it would “allow us to help even more young people access the support they need to build their confidence and develop valuable skills that employers require”.
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