The projects include support for young people with additional support needs to help them overcome barriers to employment, support for disabled people, a targeted focus on Airdrie Central and one focused on skills, employability and entrepreneurial awareness training.

The UK Community Renewal Fund is a one-off fund of £220million. It provides funding to help places across the UK prepare for the introduction of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

It aims to contribute to the levelling up agenda by investing in people, places, businesses and communities improving everyday life across the UK.

In total, the programmes in North Lanarkshire have been awarded almost £2.5million.

The successful projects are:

• Right Track Scotland Ltd - Lift Off and Accelerate
• Routes to Work Ltd - Airdrie Central Community Engagement Project
• North Lanarkshire Council, Supported Employment – EmployMe
• Elevator - Elevator Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: E3 North Lanarkshire
• ENABLE Scotland (Leading the Way)

Jim Logue, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council, welcomed the additional funding for these projects. Visiting Routes To Work’s offices on Wednesday 17 November, he said: “A central part of our ambition for communities in North Lanarkshire is to equip people with the skills they need to gain meaningful and lasting employment.

“We work closely with a range of organisations in our area to support people into work, training or enterprise, including our own Employ Me programme which helps to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities who are currently unemployed by working closer with businesses and partners.

“These are vital projects that will help to deliver inclusive economic growth, increase skills and generate jobs and training opportunities for our communities which is part of our plan for North Lanarkshire which, through partnership working, will help to improve lives and reduce poverty and inequality in the region.”

Robin Turner, Chief Executive of Routes To Work, said: “We are delighted to have received CRF funding as part of North Lanarkshire’s award from the UK Government. 

“This additional investment will allow us to increase our community-based engagement activity by targeting support directly at a neighbourhood level to residents of the most employment-deprived area of North Lanarkshire.  

“Through this targeted approach and our individually-focused skills and employment support service, we will be able to provide a pathway for more local people to take advantage of the improving jobs-market across the district.”

Andrew Burnett, Managing Director at Elevator said: “This is great news for local businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs in North Lanarkshire. Elevator has a clear vision for North Lanarkshire: to be one of the most entrepreneurial, vibrant and dynamic regions in Scotland.

"This funding means that we can pilot an innovative project which provides a network of community focussed enterprise support services based from Cumbernauld and Shotts, aimed at increasing skills, employability and entrepreneurial awareness.”

Gillian Law, Chief Executive, Right Track Scotland Ltd said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this UK Government funding.

"It will enable us to offer new programmes which provide alternative learning models for young people with additional support needs to develop their personal, practical and digital skills as well as taster programmes to support those young people on their journey into employment.”

Pamela Humphries, Head of Planning and Regeneration with North Lanarkshire Council, added: “The council was appointed lead authority for the North Lanarkshire area. As lead authority, we invited project proposals from a range of local applicants, including voluntary and community sector organisations and local education providers.

“We then appraised these projects and produced a shortlist which was submitted to UK government for consideration. We will now be responsible for issuing grant agreements to successful bidders and undertaking monitoring and assurance activity.”