About
The Scottish Government has invested £21 million in a skills package, delivered in partnership with Scotland's colleges, to help more parents access employment and enable those already in work to develop their skills and increase their earnings.
Designed to support low-income parents, carers, disabled people, care-experienced individuals, and young people in work, this funding relies on strong partnerships with employers to create opportunities for skills development and career progression.
There are three separate funds available, each designed to support different groups and training needs. Learn more about each fund and submit an enquiry using the form below.
The Raising Income through Skills and Education (RISE) Fund is designed to help parents and carers build new skills with training that fits around family life.
To be eligible for the RISE Fund, you must:
- - Be living in Scotland full time (including those with refugee status or asylum seekers)
- - Be a parent or carer
- - Have a child at home who is under 18 years old
- - Earn an individual income of below £33,000.
The Training Access Fund (TAF) helps in-work parents and carers access free skills courses to help them progress in their careers.
To be eligible for the TAF Fund, you must:
- - Be living in Scotland full time (including those with refugee status or asylum seekers)
- - Be a parent or carer
- - Have a child at home who is under 18 years old
- - Earn an individual income of below £33,000.
The New Flexible Workforce Development Fund (New FWDF) aims to upskill parents, carers and young people in employment.
It also aims to encourage businesses to offer training opportunities that meet employers' needs while helping their teams gain new skills and progress in their careers.
Please note: This Fund is not the same as the FWDF initiative launched in 2017.
Funded training opportunities are only open to workers with an annual income below £33,000, who are either:
- - Parents or carers of a child aged under 18 living at home;
- - Aged under 24, or
- - Care-experienced or disabled and aged under 30.
The Fund is available to all employers operating in Scotland who implement (or are working towards implementing) Fair Work Practices.
