RWE Bad á Cheò Wind Farm Education & Training Fund

About this fund

This fund provides bursaries to residents of the following Community Council areas in Caithness; Watten, Halkirk District, and Lybster, Latheron and Clyth. It helps them access training and education opportunities that better equip them with the range of skills needed to enter or retain employment in key sectors of the local economy.

The fund is provided by RWE Bad á Cheò Wind Farm Community Fund and is for residents within the fund Area only.
 

Purpose of this fund

The purpose of the RWE Bad á Cheò Education & Training Fund is to improve opportunities and livelihoods of people living in the Halkirk District, Lybster, Latheron and Clyth and Watten Community Councils areas.

Awards are made to those seeking to undertake training or education in key sectors relevant to the area, as follows:

• Health and Social Care
• Teaching and Education
• Food and Drink
• Tourism and Customer Services
• Culture, Heritage and the Natural Environment
• Communications and Information Technology
• Renewables, Energy and Climate Change
• Engineering, Science, Maths and Technology
• Construction and the Trades
• Sea based industries.

Courses leading to formal or recognised qualifications will be favoured, however other courses will also be considered where the applicant can demonstrate how the skills and knowledge gained will realistically support them in securing or retaining work. 

Courses supported can be on a full time or part time basis and may be: * Apprenticeships * Modern Apprenticeships * Foundation Apprenticeships * SVQs * NCs * HNCs * HNDs * undergraduate degrees * post-graduate qualifications (though not PhDs) * short vocational courses * other courses that meet the Fund purpose. 

Additional criteria

Eligible costs:

Awards are made for costs that are directly related to attending your course or apprenticeship, including:

• Course fees, where these costs cannot be waived or funded through any other means
• Study aids and equipment, where these are not made available by your course provider, and must be proportionate to the course. 
• Tools for your trade, where these are not made available by your course provider, and must be proportionate to the course. 
• Travel and subsistence costs (except Halkirk District applicants aged over 25, unless you can demonstrate exceptional need) Please note anybody aged under 22 is eligible for free bus travel through the Young Scot initiative, this should be used in the first instance and other transport costs will only be considered if your course cannot be accessed by bus.
• Accommodation costs (except Halkirk District applicants aged over 25, unless you can demonstrate exceptional need).
• Childcare costs to allow you to study.
• Driving lessons and test (Please remember to tell us why you need financial support for this. You are eligible for up to £500 towards this, and it will not affect your position to apply for subsequent funding for other studies.). If you are applying for a contribution towards the Advanced Driving Test training then please be aware that there are benefits to having some driving experience before undertaking the training. If you are applying from the Latheron, Lybster & Clyth Community Council area please apply in the first instance to the Lybster & Tannach Non Formal Learning Bursary Fund through their Local Development Officer. 

You must provide information on the full costs that you need to meet in relation to the course. For example, if you are a first-time applicant taking a week-long course that costs £400, you will only be able to apply for £400 plus related travel & subsistence. And if you receive funding from elsewhere, for example, £100 towards the course fees, you will only be able to apply for £300.

Study location:

We recognise that there are limited further education opportunities within the fund area, therefore you can apply for the costs involved in studying anywhere in Scotland. However, an application for the costs of attending a course offered in Caithness or even Highland will be looked upon more favourably than one that requires you to leave the area, or where the course provider is based outwith the area. 

If you are applying for costs linked with an Apprenticeship arrangement you must be employed within or live within the fund area.

Who can apply?

The fund is open to individuals aged 16 or over and living in any of the three Community Council areas closest to the wind farm: Halkirk District, Lybster, Latheron and Clyth and Watten. However, the Panel can make an award to someone living outside this area depending on the circumstances. For example, someone who perhaps lives outside the area but works at a small business within the area may be able to receive an award.

Your application must be for the purpose of increasing your employment potential. 

Apprentices can apply for costs that cannot be claim back from their employer or another source.
 

What can’t be funded?

You cannot apply for funding for any costs incurred before a decision can be made on your application (retrospective funding).

We will not fund training or equipment that your employer should be providing for you or that is necessary for you to carry out your current job. We will not fund equipment which will become part of your business, unless essential to be able to attend the course and the costs must be proportionate to the course you are studying. 

Apprentices cannot apply for any cost that can be claimed back from their employer or another source. 
 

How are decisions made?

Recommendations on awards to residents of Halkirk District are made by the Bad á Cheò Wind Farm Community Fund (Halkirk District) Panel 

Recommendations on awards to residents of Latheron, Lybster & Clyth are made by the Bad á Cheò Wind Farm are made by the Community Fund (Latheron, Lybster & Clyth) Panel 

Recommendations on awards to residents of Watten are made by the Watten Windfarm Trust.

Note that all applications are anonymised before they are seen by the Panel. See our privacy policy.

Once your application is received, Foundation Scotland will review your application, including how it meets with the fund criteria. We may contact you by telephone or e-mail if we have any questions about your application. We then provide a report to the Panel, who will decide on your application.