Today (17 February), as the latest batch of Future Jobs Fund placements confirmed an additional 61 allocations for SWT, the Trust can reveal that it is now giving a total of over 360 unemployed young people an opportunity to complete six-month employment contracts over the next two years.  The placements will be salaried at minimum wage thanks to the Future Jobs Fund.  

 

At a regional level, this news means the following new jobs will be created across Scotland:

 

33 for Dumfries & Galloway 
20 for East Ayrshire 
54 for North Ayrshire 
18 for South Ayrshire 
19 for South Lanarkshire 
50 for North Lanarkshire 
27 for West Lothian 

34 for Scottish Borders 

35 for Edinburgh & Midlothian 
28 for Fife 
31 for Dundee 
4 for Angus 

5 for Highlands 
3 for Aberdeenshire 

Currently the largest provider of Future Jobs Fund placements in Scotland, this substantial boost in SWT’s ranks will see young people carry out tasks for the benefit of Scotland’s wildlife across all areas of the organisation, from practical conservation to administration.

 

SWT’s Director of Conservation, Jonny Hughes, said:  “361 extra pairs of hands and feet will make an incredible difference to the work SWT can achieve on the ground for the protection and conservation of Scotland’s wildlife.  Most of our new employees will join our conservation teams who work to maintain SWT’s 123 wildlife reserves as well as taking on contract work in the wider community to help people protect or make the most of the wildlife around them.  This type of work can include anything from felling dangerous trees and removing non-native species to constructing boardwalks and viewing platforms.  We also hope to have more office-based placements in future providing opportunities to gain experience in administration processes and data management. 

 

“The Futures Job Fund is a huge success because it delivers real benefits to young people and communities. While SWT gains extra manpower to allow us to do even more for Scotland’s wildlife, the young people involved are getting real jobs which boosts their confidence and morale after periods of unemployment and gaining an opportunity to learn new skills to help them secure rewarding careers in the future.” 

 

The Secretary of State for Scotland, Jim Murphy said:  “The Scottish Wildlife Trust is a great example of an organisation taking up the British Government’s offer to help young people back into work. I am delighted that today’s Future Jobs Fund award will enable them to offer an additional 61 jobs to young people throughout Scotland.”

 

Comments from SWT’s newest Future Jobs Fund employees:
 
Christopher Pagen, aged 19 from Dumfries, left school to complete a joinery apprenticeship but fell into unemployment after his employer didn’t have enough work to support his wages and training support.  He now works with SWT’s Dumfries and Galloway Conservation Team, one of the 10 supervised regional working groups run by SWT to carry out work for the good of wildlife conservation on SWT reserves and in the wider community.  

 

Pagen said:  “Being unemployed is tough because you feel like no matter how hard you try no-one will give you a chance.  Being a part-trained joiner with poor grades from school, I didn’t have enough skills to get a job. 

 

“The Future Jobs Fund is great because it’s a way of getting into work to learn new skills and help build up your confidence.  Working with SWT, I have found a new interest in conservation work and I like to get up everyday and have something meaningful to do.   

 

“I was unemployed for a year and my dad has been unemployed for six months and is still looking for a job.  Unemployment makes family life more difficult so I’m glad the Government is helping more young people like me find work.”

 

Christopher Stewart, aged 20 from Wishaw, had been unemployed for over a year before securing a paid job with Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Lanarkshire-based Conservation Team, thanks to the Future Jobs Fund. 

 

Stewart said:  “I left school as soon as I could because I wanted to stand on my own to feet and stop feeling like I was treated like a kid.  But I had no qualifications and I didn’t realise at the time was exactly how difficult this would make it to find work.  Now I realise that it was a stupid thing to do. 

 

“Getting continual knock-backs from employers was awful.  My girlfriend was pregnant and all I wanted to do was get a job to support my family but it felt as if there was nothing more I could do.  I had no control over my situation. 

 

“Working with SWT I have helped to construct a boardwalk and cleared felled trees.  It’s great working as being part of a team and having a job to do everyday is much better than being unemployed.  Best of all, thanks to the funding from the Future Job Fund, I have a wage and can support my family.” 

 

Liam Cornwall, aged 21 from Dalkeith, is one of SWT’s new employees, now working with SWT’s Dalkeith Conservation Team thanks to support from the Future Jobs Fund. 

 

Cornwall said:  “I had been unemployed for nine months before I was lucky enough to be given the chance to work outdoors with SWT.  Before being unemployed I had a bar job and, although it was long hours and hard work, I did enjoy earning my own money.  Being unemployed for so long was hard.  With no cash and my lack of work experience leading to constant rejections, you do begin to feel a bit worthless. 

 

“Working with the Dalkeith Conservation Team is brilliant and I’ve found something I really enjoy.  We carry out tasks in the outdoors, such as ring-marking and felling trees and restoring important habitats such as reed beds, and all our work helps to protect wildlife in some way.  It’s great to know that what I do is making a difference to the community around me.  And hopefully it will help me get a new job in the future.” 

 

***ENDS***

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Nicola McGovern, SWT PR Officer
Tel: 0131 312 4742 
 

NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. SWT is the largest voluntary body working for all the wildlife of Scotland, representing more than 35,000 members who care for wildlife and the environment. SWT seeks to raise public awareness of threatened habitats and species and manages over 120 reserves Scotland-wide.

2. The People’s Postcode Lottery is the lottery for charities in Scotland.  Launched in November 2007, PPL represents a unique fundraising concept where players play with their postcode to win cash prizes whilst supporting local charities in Scotland. 40p from each ticket sold goes direct to charities in Scotland. To date SWT have received over £772,023 from PPL which helps maintain the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s network of over 120 reserves across Scotland.

3. SWT receives financial assistance and support from Scottish Natural Heritage and the People’s Postcode Lottery.

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