Inverness project’s future still not certain
A LIFELINE service for some of the most vulnerable children and young people in Inverness is to review its operations in a bid to secure its long-term future.
The Special Needs Action Project (Snap) has been awarded £17,500 by the Inverness Common Good Fund which will enable the charity to take a fundamental look at its costs and funding.
Snap provides a range of out-of-school social activities for 50 children and young people with learning disabilities while a further 50 are on the waiting list, some of whom have been waiting for several years.
But earlier this year, the charity’s future appeared in doubt after cash-strapped Highland Council turned down a funding application of £70,000 – about 43 per cent of the annual running costs of £200,000.
More than 3000 people subsequently signed a petition launched by worried parents calling for a rethink and the council later awarded £65,000.
Snap manager Dawn Walker welcomed the latest grant from the common good fund to enable a review which is expected to take about six months to complete.
“It will enable us to fund an additional team leader for six months and that will free up time from our current manager to concentrate efforts on reviewing everything we do in Snap,” she said.
“It is something which is needed to be done with all the issues we have had in the past year. It will also help to fund a part-time fundraiser to help us identify new sources of funding.
“Things are looking a lot better. We got our funding from Highland Council for this year. We are still hopeful for the future and that we will continue to receive that funding.
“However, we are still looking at a running £40,000 deficit each year hence we need to have this review and an additional part-time fundraiser. Things are still far from certain.”
The charity’s core services aimed at five to 19-year-olds include an after-school club, activities during the school holidays plus occasional Saturday outings and overnight breaks.
It also runs activities for 26 adults aged over 19.
