The Scottish Government introduces two support schemes for women within rural settings

The Scottish Government introduces two support schemes for women within rural settings

The two new schemes have been designed to address inequality and provide more opportunities for women living in rural communities and those working in agriculture.

Women in Agriculture Practical Training Fund

This £100,000 Scottish Government support package offers women in the agricultural industry the chance to develop their skills and talents. The fund is administered by Lantra Scotland and provides practical, land-based skills training through full funding of up to £500 per course. For any courses over this value, support will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Courses eligible for funding can include:

• business skills
• environmental and sustainability
• health and safety
• plants and animals
• vehicles
• machinery and equipment.

Application criteria:

• Clear evidence of the value of the grant to the applicant and how it will support the development of their business or employment options.
• Whether this is the first course someone has applied for, or if it has been applied for in previous rounds.
• Whether the course is a legal requirement or more developmental in nature e.g., advanced technology training, bespoke courses focused on sustainability and improving business efficiency.

For more information or to apply, click here.

Women’s Rural Community Business Creation

The second fund is a £30,000 pilot scheme that will work to address the rural gender pay gap by providing female-focused enterprise programmes.

The pilot aims to unlock the economic potential of 10 women based in more remote/rural local communities across Scotland, by providing a 10 week pilot comprising two hours learning per week.

For more information on the training courses and networks available, click here.

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