Young Enterprise Scotland confirms 17 jobs lost after losing Scottish Government funding

Scottish national charity Young Enterprise Scotland has confirmed 17 members of staff have been made redundant after it failed to secure Scottish Government funding.

The charity, which has delivered enterprise education to schools and colleges for three decades, has confirmed it has made 17 workers redundant after failing to secure the funding in October.

The charity said it will now operate on a “significantly reduced staff team” of no more than a dozen people but is “relieved” to be saved from complete closure.

Young Enterprise Scotland’s funding has historically come from a combination of a core continuity grant from the Scottish Government, ongoing support from Trusts and Foundations and some support from the private sector.

In July this year, the charity was advised the grant process would cease with immediate effect, replaced with a competitive process which opened the following month.

The new fund awarded seven organisations with a share of £829,346, with YE Scotland being unsuccessful in this round of funding.

The charity was granted emergency funding of £285,000 which covered its existing costs for this financial year, allowing it to avoid closure.

Young Enterprise Scotland CEO Emma Soanes said: “It is a huge relief that we have been able to avoid a complete closure of Young Enterprise Scotland and we are grateful to the Scottish Government for providing us with emergency funding which prevented our worst case scenario becoming reality.

“Sadly however, this will provide little consolation to the 17 valued members of our team who have lost their jobs just weeks before Christmas.

“Losing our major income source has been an enormously unsettling and upsetting time for everyone involved, and while we try to remain positive there is no doubt there will be challenging times ahead as we refocus and prioritise what programmes we deliver within schools and colleges on such a reduced staff model.”

YE Scotland supported over 18,000 school and college students last year through its enterprise programmes.

In the past three years, more than 1,000 students have gained a YE Scotland enterprise qualification (SCQF Level 6) to prepare them for further education, work and life.

Emma Soanes added: “We will definitely be engaging our own entrepreneurial mindsets in the coming weeks and months as we reposition ourselves within the education ecosystem and continue with our commitment to deliver financial and enterprise education from primary one and early years, right through to S6”.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “This will obviously be a concerning time for all employees impacted and their families.

“The Scottish Government has engaged with Young Enterprise Scotland to try to mitigate the impact of their financial situation, including awarding £285,000 towards the two previously funded projects to ensure the organisation’s continued viability.”