PROJECTS aimed at tackling the “toxic bigotry” of sectarianism in Scotland are to receive funding of more than £500,000.
Nil by Mouth and Sense Over Sectarianism (SOS), which works to help schoolchildren in Glasgow to challenge bigotry, are among those who will receive a share of the cash announced by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf. He said the £530,000 of funding for 2019-20 was part of the Scottish Government’s “unprecedented” investment in tackling the problem.
Yousaf said: “Education is absolutely pivotal in our fight against this toxic bigotry. By working directly with young people in schools and colleges, Sense Over Sectarianism is helping ensure future generations can drive forward the change needed that eradicates sectarianism once and for all.”
Sense Over Sectarianism said it would use its £85,000 share of the funding to provide training for teachers. Nil By Mouth will receive £95,000 for workplace education.
Yousaf said: “There is no question that sectarianism is a societal problem which continues to blight communities across Scotland. We all need to do whatever is within our power to tackle this problem and that means taking responsibility for tackling sectarianism in the areas we have influence over, whether that be football, marches and parades or in our workplaces. This latest round of funding is a real-terms annual increase and takes the Scottish Government’s unprecedented investment to £14 million in anti-sectarian projects since 2012.”
Mark Adams, development officer at Sense Over Sectarianism, said: “In the past 12 months SOS has worked with unprecedented numbers and this funding gives the programme a solid platform to build on and consolidate this success. In addition, we will be able to once again host the National Month of Action for Scottish schools which proved very popular in February of this year.”
Nil By Mouth campaign director Dave Scott said: “We have seen huge interest in our tackling sectarianism in the workplace programme in recent years. Scotland is bigger, better and bolder than bigotry and this welcome investment in grassroots projects like ours will take that message to schools, colleges, universities, workplaces and communities across the country.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here