For what reason £102,000 was provided to Inverness CAB between 2017-18 and 2020-21 as part of the Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund; wha…

The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund initially ran from 2017 to 2020, and was then extended to October 2021 due to the impacts of covid-19. It was superseded by a revised funding programme: the current Equality and Human Rights Fund.The Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund was used to fund projects that would contribute to one or more of four outcomes:Discrimination against people who share protected characteristics is reduced and multiple discrimination is addressed so that barriers to participation are reduced.People covered by hate crime legislation experience lower levels of hate crime.People and communities are supported to participate in and engage with services and civic society; their contribution is recognised, and community cohesion is increased.Current imbalances in representation in all aspects and levels of public life, including education and employment are addressed to better reflect our communitiesThe Highland Equality and Fair Work in Action Project was funded to provide a local specialist “Equality and Employment Rights Advice and Representation Service” to empower workers in the Highlands who (due to having a protected characteristic and in particular a disability) may suffer unlawful discrimination and/or disadvantage when their rights are breached which will reduce barriers to justice; reduce discrimination and inequality; will promote early intervention; increase in ‘fair work’ practice; increase cohesion/community participation and progress social policy issues.The specific outcome to be achieved was:1600 Highland workers who (due to having a protected characteristic – mostly notably those who have a disability) suffer unlawful discrimination or related breaches of their equality/employment rights will have improved access to a local specialist advice and representation service which will advise of their individual rights and options and improve access to justice in order to reduce discrimination; reduce disadvantage; increase fair work and reduce barriers to participation.The Fund was managed on a day to day basis on the Scottish Government’s behalf by Impact Funding Partners initially and then Inspiring Scotland. You can find a Final Progress Update report for the Fund summarising its impacts here: Promoting-Equality-and-Cohesion-Fund-Final-Report-Jan-Sep-2021-for-SG-publication.pdf