 the work of The Big Project and the хорошing接es waiting in the broomhouse area of my constituency of Edinburgh Pentlands. In the gallery tonight we have management staff and volunteers from The Big Project and Welcome them all to Parliament on the twenty year of the organisation that has made such a difference to so many young people in that area. Felly, rwyf wedi bod yn yma'r cyfrifatwyr yma'r ysgol yma yn 2012, rwyf wnes i ddarparu'r cyfrifatwyr o'r lliad o'r cyfrifatwyr i Eidnbrys i Sir Chris Hoyr, a mewn ddodol yma i Llyfrgelliaethol. Y cyfrifatwyr yma'r cyfrifatwyr feithio ar gyfer y gwaith, ac yn ddweud yn ysgolion gyda'r adau, ond mae'r cyfrifatwyr eraill. Yn oedd, mae'n ddim yn ymddangos, y cyfrifatwyr yn gyfweld yma'r cyfrifatwyr o'r cyfrifatwyr, ac erioedd yn ddefnyddio garae fel myth opticali, fel y gallwn bod hwnnw'n arno, rwy'n cael ei ddq leerdoedd i'r Gwerth ofnodau. Yn yr unrhyw ddymogolol a'r rastod chi'n rhaid strategio a'r pwysigolahadau a'r hyn wedi bod yn ymgyrch gwaith oeddodd ar Chershoi. Felly mae hyn i, fod yn y pryd peithgrffau, yn cael y oedden nhw, yw'r 10 arwythnaid gyda'r Pwysigol gyda i amser o'r Uniolol Unedigol— Well, back in 2002, the Broomehouse estate was known by some as Little Bosnia, as the community had long been enduring high rates of youth crime and it had at the time the highest number of youth calls to the police in the city. Vandalism was rife, cars and property were being damaged and this was combined with underage drinking, drug misuse, fighting among groups of teenagers, low aspirations and lack of facilities. It meant that something had to be done to give children and young people a feeling of safety on the streets. It was at this point that the big project was launched, beginning life as the Broomehouse Intervention Group, hosted by the Broomehouse Centre, now rebuilt in recent years of space, but had back then a lack of space. The staff had to work across the wider area, utilising St Davies Church in Hall, Oakland School, St Joseph's Church Hall, Sighthill Primary, Sighthill Community Centre and Broomehouse Primary School. This last partnership was to prove invaluable for the big project, as relationships formed there resulted in invitation to move into the new primary school campus a year later and as a result enabled them to gain charitable status. Over the years the big project has run youth clubs for different age groups, music projects starting with big radio, then fame academy which developed into the big choir, the mural project painted by youngsters which covered up graffiti, started the first local girls football team back in 2004, the grow project delivering outdoor activities, their first musical in 2017, The Wizard of Oz, involving the drama group and choir. The Wizard of Oz has always been a theme for the big project. Some of those in the chamber and gallery may well remember the late Bay City Roller Les McEwen. He never forgot his roots in Broomehouse and paid a visit to the big project in 2007 to show his support for the work they were doing. Les auctioned off one of the famous Bay City Roller jackets and was able to donate £700 to the project. As he entered the hall to chance of Shangalang and waving of tartan scarfs he commented how great it was to be back in Broomehouse and how much he had wanted to give something back to his community. A major strength of this project is low staff turnover, providing stability and continuity for local children and young people, many of whom have experienced social exclusion and discrimination on various levels. Activities are structured to ensure time is available to nurture the positive relationships formed. The big project aims to improve local young people's long-term quality of life by developing self-confidence, resilience, optimism and a commitment to personal excellence as a basis for their potential role in life and as good citizens. As a result, more local young people participate in constructive activities and are less involved in destructive or criminal behaviour, resulting in happier children and far fewer being referred on to specialist services. The big project enables youngsters to learn new skills and improve existing ones and they are now more aware of opportunities that are available to them. Over the years, the big project has taken children and young people who would not otherwise be able to do so on holidays and residential breaks. This allows children to spend more quality time with others. There is no doubt that they have the support of the project dropping in when they are struggling to cope but also to share good news and spend time with staff. The big project has now for over 20 years contributed hugely to improving the lives of local children and young people. It has built valued relationships with local families and is now the major provider of services for local children and young people living in Broomehouse. Its credibility with the local community is high and regarded as a local go-to organisation for children and young people services. The work of the big project has been recognised over the years by many awards that it has won, starting with the evening news Young Edinburgh awards in visual and performing arts in 2005. The Queens Golden Jubilee award for volunteers in the community in 2016. This year, Sasha McLeod, the big project's director, received a Youth Link Lifetime Achievement award and Margaret Halquett was awarded an inspiring volunteer award from the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Broomehouse has changed dramatically for the better since I first moved to Edinburgh in 1982 and lived in the neighbouring estate of Parkhead. It has new schools, community centre and housing but importantly a stronger sense of community. That must be part and due to the hard work of the big project staff and volunteers who have supported and nurtured the young people of the area for the last two decades. Congratulations on 20 years of service to the community and long made a big project continue to do so. Thank you very much. Mr McDonald, you now move to the open debate. I call for Jeremy Balfour to be followed by Rona Mackay for around four minutes, Mr Balfour. Thank you Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank Lord McDonald for lodging this motion and bringing it forward tonight? Can I also welcome some of my constituents here in the gallery tonight and wish the big project a very happy 20th birthday? It is an amazing organisation as we've heard already from the first speaker. I want to join him and show all my colleagues from across the chamber in wishing them not only a happy birthday but a successful future. During my short time this evening I would like to associate myself strongly with the ambition of the big project to combat low aspiration and lack of facilities and in danger of the issue of stability in community for children and young people, not only in the area that they serve but in many parts of Scotland. There are so many voices in the world today that tell us that our children and young people that they cannot do this, they cannot do that, especially children with disability or who come from difficult backgrounds. I feel that often these communities are often patronised by those, assuming that our capabilities are far lower than they are in reality. We are held back by setting our expectations of what we can do so low. Disabled people will be served far better instead of assuming that we have no capability to dialogue in a way to show how much ability we do have and reach the potential and that is what the project we are celebrating tonight does so well. Now let me make it clear, I'm not saying that we should ignore disabilities completely and expect those with disabilities to get on with life as nothing is wrong. Of course there are limitations, that's what a disability is, but I think we could all be surprised by the capacity of those whom society would generally count out actually what they can do. I was very fortunate to be brought up by parents who pushed me to be all that I could. They encouraged me to try everything and if I came up against challenges that I couldn't adapt to, that was okay. They provided the space for me to flourish without bringing in the boundaries. Again, that's what we see in the last 20 years within this project, taking young people, taking children and asking them to flourish without putting boundaries up, which aren't real. I'm aware that not everyone is as lucky as I've been. Not everyone has parents who instill a sense of aspiration from a young age. It is therefore the utmost importance that we support charities such as the Big Project to fulfil this role in communities where it is lacking, not just for those with disability but for those who lack the support and the facilities to flourish. By empowering these projects, we can move towards a truly inclusive society, including this place. Still, the number of disabled people who have been elected at MSP is far too short. The number of officers with the macabinet positions that are yet to be occupied by someone with a declared disability is far too long. We need to support the Big Project and others such as it so that we can get society not leaving anyone behind but for everyone to achieve more. Deputy Presiding Officer, let me again congratulate the Big Project on 20 years of hard work, wish them well for more to come. In conclusion, this can only happen if we fund projects like this. We have come through a really difficult three-year period. We all face another uncertainty with economic crisis, but whatever happens in the future, we cannot leave the third sector behind. We need to make sure that both Government, both here at Westminster and in Scotland, and local authorities, pray their part by supporting projects like the Big Project, which can inspire young people and make our society better. Happy birthday and congratulations. I congratulate my colleague Gordon MacDonald for bringing it to the chamber. We live in troubled times, and we must make sure that children do not bear the brunt of social inequality absolutely as much as we can. We know that inequality has always been with us, but we also know that, shamefully, that gap is getting wider. It may sound cliched, but it is nevertheless true that every child deserves the best start in life, the best start in their background. A good start coupled with the ability to reach their potential are the building bricks to a happier, successful life as children grow into adults. The project that we are debating tonight is a fantastic example of an initiative that works. The Big Project has been helping children and families for 20 years, two decades, that is quite an achievement. Children in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh have benefited enormously from this vision and innovative practices of the organisation. Two generations of children who will have been helped to reach their full potential. Projects such as these are invaluable for young people. Many areas in Scotland have similar projects, which, once established, become interwoven in the community. I am very fortunate that, in my constituency of Strathkelvin and Bearsden, we have excellent schools and after-school clubs, which encourage the ethos of being all you can be for children from all backgrounds. I know of the great work that they do in other schools throughout the country with children, and I am constantly impressed at the evolving initiatives to develop young people's social responsibilities and confidence, while letting them have fun at the same time. I cannot speak in this debate without mentioning a project that is not in my constituency. It is in the east end of Glasgow, and it is called the Baltic Street Adventure Playground. I visited the playground in a personal basis due to a friend of mine being among those who run it, and I simply cannot speak highly enough about it. It is situated in one of the most deprived areas of Glasgow. It is not an exaggeration to say that it has become a lifeline to the hundreds of children and families who use it on a daily basis. Playground is a word that cannot convey what Baltic Street offers. It is a space in which children can run, play, take risks, grow vegetables, light fires and look after animals. It is their space, it is child-led, and it allows them to develop and enjoy being children. It also supports families by offering hot food to children six days a week, including during school holidays, and it has a food hub on Fridays. It has become a focal point for an area lacking in basic needs and, crucially, every service that the project provides is entirely free. Unlike the big projects, it is a sanctuary for children and families run by dedicated staff and volunteers. You cannot put a price on the work that they do and the difference that they make to children and families' lives. I wish the big project and every similar project throughout Scotland the happiest of anniversaries and say a massive well done to all the people making such an enormous difference to young people's lives. Michael Marra, for around four minutes. I thank Gordon MacDonald for bringing the debate to the chamber today. I admire the congratulations of the Scottish Labour Party to the big project on the significant anniversary after 20 years. Thank you for all the work that you do for the community of Broomehouse and the thousands of young people across those 20 years whose lives you have touched and changed. It is right that we mark this anniversary and, obviously, Mr MacDonald has set out eloquently the achievements of the project over that period of time, his own experience of it and the impact that he has seen in his constituency. I think that that is an echo for all of us, as we have heard in speeches already, about the kind of youth projects that we see across Scotland and the profound difference they make to the lives of young people, young Scots throughout the country. Clearly youth work is the place where people find their friends, where they find their purpose, where they find a place for themselves, where they can feel safe, where they can find inspiration and can make an indelible mark on their lives and, for many of them, set the future direction that they find. Too often we think of education and the experience of young people as being very much in the formal walls of a school, rather than the bread of education that people experience to their family, their friends and through in so many places the youth work environment that makes such a difference in our communities. I think that some of what we have heard already is a very familiar story of partnership, working whether it be in the different organisations that come together in Broomehouse, where the organisation is housed, whether it be in church halls, whether it be in schools, people coming together to add value and bring real benefit to the community. It is a genuine community-led process and all the better for it when it is people who are local people who understand the needs of their community, who understand the needs of those young people and can respond to them and give them that kind of guidance and experience in their lives. As such, I want to pay tribute to youth leaders across Scotland, across all those communities who are leading to those richer, better lives in our constituencies. They deserve our support and they deserve our thanks. No more time than now, frankly, in terms of the impact that Covid has had on our communities in the pandemic, the very diminished experience that young people across Scotland have had as a result of being locked inside, taken away from their friends, taken away from the kind of experiences that the big project offers to people. It is ever more vital that we support those kind of projects here and now if we are not going to see the long-term mark on a Covid generation to make sure that young people have the opportunity to rebuild relationships, to rebuild the kind of experiences that the richness in their lives that these organisations offer. In thinking about that, I was drawn to the work of YouthLink in Scotland and I think there are a couple of calls that they are looking for us as politicians to respond to. One of those is about organisations accessing facilities, making sure that after Covid, and perhaps the minister could touch on this in his closing remarks, that there are still many youth organisations across Scotland struggling to get back into facilities, whether those be school halls, church facilities. Actually, with councils reducing the footprint across Scotland in the face of cuts to their budgets about access, where those organisations can go and we need a long-term stable solution to that to make sure organisations like the big project and others right across Scotland can have a stable base in places that they can locate themselves. It is a common problem across Scotland. Rona Mackay was right, I think, to highlight the issue of the gap of poverty, the distance between those who have and do not, and the very significant impact that youth work can have in that regard. We are absolutely clear, certainly in the Scottish Labour Party, that youth work should be a right that is enjoyed and available to all young people in Scotland. That can be guaranteed through the maximalist adoption of the UNCRC. I would hope that we would see the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child brought forward and back to this Parliament very soon. The kind of experience is guaranteed by the big project, which is truly guaranteed in law and can be delivered to all young people in Scotland. Congratulations on the 20-year anniversary. Thank you for all the work that you do on behalf of the people of Broomhouse. His motion for debate this evening is absolutely appropriate and correct that we have the opportunity to recognise the significance of the 20th anniversary of the big project and, as Mr McDonald articulated, the very clear impact that is made on children and young people in the areas that it works in. I can also thank Jeremy Balfour, Rona Mackay and Michael Marra for their contributions as well. I think that what they very clearly demonstrated is a shared recognition of the very positive impact that youth work has encapsulated by the big project, which we know is replicated across the country, the impact it can have on young people. I also welcome those who are associated with the big project who are in the gallery this evening. I pass on my congratulations to them for the 20 years of great work that they have undertaken. The big project is an example of the outstanding work that Scotland's youth work sector does day in and day out. We know the very positive impact that youth work can have in terms of young persons' self-esteem and confidence, their self-belief. We know that it can improve and impact positively on their physical and mental wellbeing, doing that by enabling young people to access educational activities. It is important to emphasise the point that Michael Marra set out. There are educational opportunities that enable them to learn about themselves, others and society. That is why I share the stated values of the big project of supporting children and young people to learn, achieve, have fun and feel good about themselves. There are a few more things in life that could be more important than that. The success of the big project over a 20-year period is no small feat. Thanks to their dedicated staff who have built valued and meaningful relationships with their local community, local families, local children and young people, they have been able to openly access supportive and enriching opportunities. This year, I had the privilege of attending the youth work awards that Gordon MacDonald referred to. I met Sasha McCloud, who, as Gordon MacDonald mentioned, received the lifetime achievement award. I want to once again congratulate Sasha for her lifetime of great work for children and young people. The work that she and others in the youth work sector undertake plays an integral role in addressing poverty by improving the life chances of children and young people in some of our most vulnerable communities. As Mr MacDonald's motion reminds us, the big project currently delivers services in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh, one of the areas that faces challenges related to child poverty. Almost one in three children in Broomhouse live in poverty. The ambition of the big project for their area has to be matched by ambition in government. The Scottish Government is committed to building a future where families are financially secure and where children grow up safe, loved and without the worries of poverty. That is why we have declared the national mission to tackle child poverty in March. We published the best start bright futures, our second tackling child poverty delivery plan, setting out a range of action to drive progress, to tackle child poverty, to support children and their families. We are also building the foundations for a more sustainable exit from poverty. We know that growing up in poverty has a direct impact on children's and young people's health and wellbeing. Addressing this is not just a key priority for the Scottish Government or must not just be a key priority for the Scottish Government but must be one for our whole society. Our aspiration is that all families are supported to give their children the best start in life so that Scotland's children grow up loved, safe and respected and they realise their full potential. Youth work can absolutely play a role in achieving that ambition. The wellbeing of children can be supported and promoted through the simple act of play giving our children the fun, excitement and friendship that can support healthy development and grow through life. That is exactly what the big project does and it is playing its societal role by delivering activities that are essential in supporting children and young people's wider development needs. Many of the children and young people from the Broomhouse area also experience social exclusion and have a lack of access to facilities. I very much believe that third sector organisations have a critical role in using their expertise to address this. Having mentioned facilities, I recognise the very point that Michael Marra has made. It is an issue that I have been able to engage with and discuss directly with Youth Link Scotland. I have sent a message directly to local government, to all local authorities to make sure that they recognise the positive impact that youth work can have on children and young people. They should be making their facilities available for the use of youth work organisations. I have placed that on record again. Jeremy Balfour talked about funding and I recognise that it is vital that we play our role in supporting youth work activities. We provide a range of funding for youth work. Also, since April 2016, we have had a specific children, young people and families early intervention and adult learning and empowering communities fund, providing over £14 million of annual core funding to over 100 third sector organisations across the entire country. Many of whom are actively engaged in the area of youth work activity. I recognise that we need to provide as much stability of funding as we can for the opportunity for longer term planning for the third sector. That is why, in July this year, we launched a new third sector fund, the Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learners fund, that provides up to £16 million core funding to third sector organisations over the coming two years. We are determined that Scotland's young people, furthest from inclusion, will realise their full potential in learning, life and work. We will publish a new youth work strategy at the end of this year. The issues that I have highlighted here today, such as providing opportunities for the future health and wellbeing support and equality, some of the key things that young people have told us are important to them and are areas that we want the strategy to focus on. I want the strategy to ensure that we raise the voice of young people and I hope that it will provide a new framework that champions their voices and lived experience. My ambition is that the strategy will support organisations like the big project continue delivering for the young people they serve. My thanks again to God and Work for bringing forward this debate and fundamentally my thanks to the big project for the work they have done over the last 20 years and for the work they will continue to do ahead.