With some organisations potentially needing a financial boost, Advice Direct Scotland (ADS) has joined forces with the Scottish Government to help them with the Workplace Equality Fund. In the first year of this two-year equality fund, £800,000 has been made available.

Earlier this year, ADS encouraged charities, third sector organisations, public sector organisations and private sector companies to apply for the fund through its equalityadvice.scot service. Stakeholders could apply for up to £75,000 a year to carry out activities that will help improve diversity in the workplace. 

ADS received 54 applications, with 13 projects selected for funding. All of the funded projects have a mission to make workplaces more accessible to previously excluded groups, including older people and those with disabilities. They will also boost inclusion and diversity in the workplace by advancing Scotland’s Fair Work Framework.

Here is the full list of funded projects:

• Voices for Change: Disability & Women, by NHS Dumfries and Galloway in partnership with DG Voice 
• Leadership Programme for BAME Employees, by PATH Scotland in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 
• Inclusive Heritage Partnership Project, by the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland 
• Perth Autism Support Supporting Autistic Individuals to Secure and Retain Employment project, in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council 
• Accessibility for All by Connect Three Solutions, in partnership with the Passion4Social CIC agency
• Diversity Works, by Adopt an Intern in partnership with Aegon Asset Management 
• JRS Knowhow’s Learning with the Legal Sector project, in partnership with the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre
• DiveIn Programme, by Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), formerly the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, in partnership with Radiant and Brighter
• Social care charity Cornerstone’s Menopause Awareness Project, in partnership with The People Portfolio 
• The Young Women Code, by YWCA Scotland in partnership with digital skills agency CodeClan 
• Refugees in Social Care Careers by the Scottish Refugee Council, in partnership with Fair Deal 
• Neuro Inclusion at Work, by Salvesen Mindroom Centre in partnership with Burness Paull LLP
• Age Inclusion for People Managers and Key Influencers, by Age Scotland in partnership with the University of Edinburgh Business School 

For next year, ADS is already encouraging all organisations across Scotland to apply so that more employers can be better equipped to meet these challenges and take practical steps to address the employment difficulties faced by priority groups.

Now you know, if your organisation has any upcoming projects that would make the workplace more accessible, the fund will open again in early 2023 for applications. The new funding round will also have £800,000 available.

In this article, you learned that: 

• A total of £800,000 was available
• Stakeholders could apply for up to £75,000
• ADS received a total of 54 applications, with 13 projects selected for funding
• The fund will open again in early 2023 for application