Stevenson Delighted at Innovative Football Project

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has expressed his delight at Justice Secretary's Kenny MacAskill's innovative funding project which will see money taken from the proceeds of crime diverted to introduce children across Scotland to football playing and coaching opportunities. This groundbreaking new initiative will be funded from the proceeds of crime over a three year period to 2011 and will provide playing opportunities for more than 30,000 young people across
Scotland.

Commenting, Mr. Stevenson said:

"Kenny's announcement is fantastic news for communities in Banff & Buchan and across Scotland. This Government is firmly committed to improving people's lives through a healthier, fairer and wealthier society.

"By diverting funds from criminal activity into a project which will have numerous benefits across the social and economic spectrum, we are ensuring that Scotland's children will be given the opportunity to adopt a healthier, happier and more positive lifestyle at a young age.

"Those in society who commit crime are burdening our towns and communities with their negative outlook. If we can get our children into football, or any other sport for that matter, we can increase aspiration and self-ambition in the society in which we live.

"In towns such as Banff, Fraserburgh and Peterhead and the surrounding rural areas, It is vital that youngsters are given the chance to become active members of their communities. This scheme does that whilst at the same time demonstrating that people who waste their lives in criminal activity are missing out.
“I would strongly encourage local sporting organisations in Banff & Buchan to make use of this funding when the opportunity arises.”

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:

"Criminals don't contribute to our communities - they live off them. That harms our economy but it also saps self-confidence and ambition - especially among young people. That's why its time for crime to pay and for the cash they make off the backs of law abiding folk to flow back into our communities.

"With our Cashback for Communities programme we are taking their ill gotten gains off them and giving them back to communities to make a real difference to the lives of young people throughout Scotland - providing both opportunities on the ground and a truly symbolic message.

"This is just the start. We are looking at a range of further initiatives - in sport, in the arts, in youth work, locally and nationally. Further announcements will be coming within the next few months.

"Scotland's children and young people need to have the opportunity to realise their potential, to have real hopes and aspirations for their future and have a clear understanding that getting involved in crime and antisocial behaviour is not acceptable. We want to give our young people positive things to do with their lives and Cashback is giving us the way of doing just that."

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NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS:

The Scottish Government has brokered an agreement with the Scottish Football Association to build on the existing Bank of Scotland 'Midnightleagues' and Bank of Scotland 'Soccer One' initiatives and over the next three years deliver:

* A National network of 5-a-side football activity running from Jan - June, targeting youths.

* A National network of 3 and 4-a-side football activity targeting youths, based in 32 venues throughout Scotland, and aiming to involve up to 9,600 young people per year.

* Building on the current Soccer One programme for S1 pupils, Cashback funding will be used to develop this into S2 and S3 by the third year of funding, we will have up to 1,300 new schools-based football teams involving up to 19,500 girls and boys;

* The creation of 6 schools-based football academies for 120 P7 pupils who haven't responded to traditional teaching.

* A programme to bring 1,700 new volunteer coaches into the youth game.

This three-year football initiative, to be funded from over £2.2 million from proceeds of crime funds and £1,926,485 of funding from the SFA, HBoS and the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, is the first of a range of positive activities for young people under this Government's "Cashback for Communities" scheme which will see the money and goods seized from serious organised criminals being used to make a real difference to the lives of young people across Scotland.

Over the coming months there will be further strands announced, including support for youth groups throughout Scotland, and culture and arts projects aimed at young people.