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Link Up - Inspiring Scotland

Link Up

Link Up

Link Up was established in 2012 without a set model or framework, just the premise that the ingredients for lasting change already lie in our communities in the shape of the passion, strengths, skills, knowledge and interests of local people, and when people are connected and energised, radical change can and does happen.

Our Link Up workers are embedded in the community and work directly with local people to harness these existing resources. The community establishes activities that local people want to take part in and help run.

But these are not just activities; they help people to build relationships with their fellow residents, creating new social connections where they look out for each other.

The Place-based Programme Learning Exchange, a collaboration of national organisations that champion ‘place’ in their practices, has released a report highlighting what works and what doesn’t in place-based approaches. This report aims to share these key learnings to enhance both the scale and quality of place-based working across Scotland, and draws on over 50 years of combined organisational experience and learning across dozens of urban and rural place settings.

Funded Services

Craigmillar, Edinburgh (Thistle Foundation)

Craigmillar, Edinburgh (Thistle Foundation)

The Thistle Foundation is the host organisation in Craigmillar.  Link Up started in Craigmillar in 2016.

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Gallatown, Kirkcaldy (Kirkcaldy YMCA)

Gallatown, Kirkcaldy (Kirkcaldy YMCA)

  Kirkcaldy YMCA is the host organisation for the Link Up worker. Gary Hughes started as the Link Up Worker early in March 2012.     Gallatown is a suburb in north east Kirkcaldy near Dysart in coastal Fife. Originally called Gallowstown, (from the frequent execution of criminals in feudal times, or from the special

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Gorbals (Crossroads Youth and Community Association)

Gorbals (Crossroads Youth and Community Association)

Community: Gorbals (Laurieston).    Crossroads Youth and Community Association is the host organisation partnering with Inspiring Scotland on Link Up.  The Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the river Clyde in Glasgow made up of the districts of Laurieston, Tradeston, Kingston, and Hutchesontown.  

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Resources

Inspiring Scotland’s Annual Report 22/23
19.12.2023

Inspiring Scotland’s Annual Report 22/23

Inspiring Scotland’s Annual Report 22/23 provides an overview of the work undertaken to deliver on  strategic priorities and mission to improve the lives of people across Scotland. In the period we supported over 700 organisations across 16 funding programmes worth over £50m. As well as new funding opportunities being created, nine of  programmes  provided vital

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Ullapool Sea Savers
13.09.2023

Ullapool Sea Savers

Janis Patterson of Ullapool Sea Savers tells us about the difference Specialist Volunteering has made to her organisation.

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We Are Brass Tacks
13.04.2023

We Are Brass Tacks

In this video, Tommy Seymour talks with We Are Brass Tacks about the support they provided to visual impairment charity, Seescape.

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News

Inspiring Scotland’s Annual Report published
18.12.2023

Inspiring Scotland’s Annual Report published

We are pleased to share our Annual Report 22/23 providing an overview of the work undertaken to deliver on our strategic priorities and mission to improve the lives of people across Scotland. We supported over 700 organisations across 16 funding programmes worth over £50m. As well as new funding opportunities being created, nine of our

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Insights on the cost-of-living
29.11.2022

Insights on the cost-of-living

At Inspiring Scotland, we are very aware of the pressure that the increased cost-of living is having on people and the funded charities we support. Throughout Autumn 2022 our fund teams gathered and shared information from portfolio partners about: How concerned they are about cost-of-living crisis for people they support, their organisations, their staff and

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Saltcoats Link Up ‘Wins’ The Lottery
26.08.2021

Saltcoats Link Up ‘Wins’ The Lottery

The National Lottery Community Fund announced today that Inspiring Scotland’s Link Up project in Saltcoats will benefit from an additional two-year funding of £95,400. “Our success in securing this new funding through National Lottery’s Community-led Fund will be critical in helping us to enable local people to drive the change they want for Saltcoats.” Brian

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Contact us

We work with experts from the voluntary, public, private and academic sectors. Get in touch if you want to help us build a better Scotland.

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