Closing the Opportunity Gap

Following the recent financial inclusion forum organised by the Scottish Executive (Dunblane June 2006) we are inviting a number of organisations across Scotland to take part in our national "social and financial exclusion response survey" in an attempt to find out how each organisation is "closing the opportunity gap".

To help us with this task we have prepared a quick 10-question survey and would kindly invite your support in its completion.

To participate in the survey please click here

Your cooperation is appreciated; as the information you provide will help us to help other organisations provide a better service.

We hope you will respond and look forward to hearing from you, in the meantime if you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.

To learn more about the Scottish Executives CtOG, go to: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/people/social-inclusion/17415/opportunity


We share the aims of the Scottish Executive to:

  • Prevent individuals or families from falling into poverty.
  • Provide routes out of poverty for individuals and families.
  • Sustain individuals or families in a lifestyle free from poverty.

Objectives

Six Closing the Opportunity Gap objectives were launched on July 12, 2004:

  • To increase the chances of sustained employment for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups - in order to lift them permanently out of poverty .
  • To improve the confidence and skills of the most disadvantaged children and young people - in order to provide them with the greatest chance of avoiding poverty when they leave school;
  • To reduce the vulnerability of low income families to financial exclusion and multiple debts - in order to prevent them becoming over-indebted and/or to lift them out of poverty;
  • To regenerate the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods - in order that people living there can take advantage of job opportunities and improve their quality of life;
  • To increase the rate of improvement of the health status of people living in the most deprived communities - in order to improve their quality of life, including their employability prospects;
  • To improve access to high quality services for the most disadvantaged groups and individuals in rural communities - in order to improve their quality of life and enhance their access to opportunity.

The European conference on social inclusion, The Round Table on Social Inclusion, held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, 17-18 October 2005 was held as part of the UK Presidency of the European Union, and began on the annual United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.