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Finola Trust website 

HAVING TO LEARN THE HARD WAY
Specialised Further Education Colleges 
Did you know         SCOTLAND has 0           ENGLAND has 56

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT MOTION on behalf of Finola Trust

 S3M-05704 Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Scottish Labour):
Congratulations to the Finola Education Trust
That the Parliament recognises that the Leith teenager, Finola Forman, who suffers from cerebral palsy, has chosen to attend a specialist residential further education course and that such facilities are available only in England; congratulates the Finola Education Trust on raising the £36,000 additional money that was required for the first year of the three-year course on top of the contribution from the City of Edinburgh Council; acknowledges the contribution of Leith FM and many others in promoting the campaign, and believes that teenagers such as Finola should be able to exercise choice concerning the further education that they receive without the need for such extensive fundraising.
Lodged on Tuesday, February 09, 2010; Current 

If you feel strongly in support of this sentiment please lobby your MSPs to support the motion.  
To find your local MSP visit:  http://www.writetothem.com/

30 MSPs need to support and sign the motion prior to it being debated in Scottish Parliament
The motion will remain 'live' for 6 weeks (excluding Parliamentary recess)

MSPs currently supporting the motion:
Sarah Boyack MSP -                EDINBURGH CENTRAL, SCOTTISH LABOUR
Karen Whitefield MSP -           AIRDREE & SHOTTS/ SCOTTISH LABOUR   
Michael McMahon MSP –         HAMILTON NORTH & BELLSHILL/ SCOTTISH LABOUR
Dave Thompson MSP -            HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS / SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY
Jamie Hepburn MSP –             CENTRAL SCOTLAND/ SNP

 As at 8.3.2010

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/business/motions/Default.aspx?motionid=18293

PUBLIC PETITION PE1180
NEXT MEETING - MONDAY 20 APRIL 2010 @ 2.00pm

The FINOLA TRUST SUPPORTS the

Open Petitions - Petition PE1180   (lodged August 2008)

Petition by Tom and Josie Wallace calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to ensure that students with complex needs are supported in achieving further education placements and that appropriate funding mechanisms are provided to enable such placements to be taken up.

To show YOUR SUPPORT you can either attend the next meeting as a visitor
and/ OR

EMAIL  Mr Frank McAveety (Convener of the Public Petitions Committee) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

and copy Fergus Cochrane (Clerk to the Public Petitions committee) This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it indicating your support to the Petition.

 
FINOLA'S NEWS

FINOLA'S NEWSLETTER 2009 - click to read all about it!
A very big THANK YOU to all the people who kindly supported Finola and her family during 2009 - and for making the impossible happen.  Finola started her specialised course September 2009 with 3 weeks to spare re funding!  Thank you so VERY much.
    
CHALLENGE          
To celebrate a big birthday Finola's mother is seeking to find 50 TEAM MEMBERS for the FINOLA TRUST TEAMS for

BUPA EDINBURGH GREAT RUN - Sunday 2nd May 2010
To support the Finola Trust team as a whole please CLICK HERE      

PEDAL FOR SCOTLAND - Challenge Ride – the classic 51 mile Glasgow to Edinburgh Challenge. Sunday 12 SEPTEMBER 2010

Her 3rd aim on her 50 THINGS TO DO LIST during this year, is to actually RUN THE EDINBURGH RUN! So any tips from experts who can help her achieve this would be very gratefully received!
Please contact Henri by either e: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by T: 07720 837683
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH..


HAVING TO LEARN THE HARD WAY
Finola's dream is to have an independent future and for her to achieve this she has to experience it by attending a specialised residential college.  SADLY there are NO SPECIALISED colleges in Scotland at all and funding is very much a post code lottery as to whether you receive funding from your local authority.  Therefore mammoth costs stands in her way.  

Portland College, Nr Nottingham, England (www.portland.ac.uk) assessed Finola back in Nov 2008.  Magically with a lot of very hard work from a great many people we managed to raise her first years fees 3 weeks to her start date September 2009.

PORTLAND COLLEGE FEES FOR FINOLA FOR 20010/11    £73,953 *approx
YR 2: TOTAL AMOUNT GUARANTEED as at 28.8.09             £9,884.30

WHY ARE WE HAVING TO FUNDRAISE?
Currently there is sadly NO PROVISION for children like Finola for
specialised residential further education courses in Scotland.
If you live in England or Wales then any student with disabilities
who meets certain criteria have been entitled to
FREE FURTHER EDUCATION BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 - 25 yrs
however owing to the Living and Skills Council changes this year funding is
becoming increasingly more difficult.

The Students Awards Agency for Scotland - has advised that there
would be NO FUNDING for Finola as she does not fit the criteria for disabled
students. The criteria states you have to be studying a higher diploma
or degree
(http://www.student-support-saas.gov.uk/student_support/special_circumstances/
disabled_students_allowance.htm)

If you live in Scotland complex needs further education is the
responsibility of each Local Authority with no ringfencing of budgets and,
equal opportunitities provision for all up to the discretion of each Local
Authority.  In certain parts of Scotland (postcode lottery) families are
sometimes asked to source huge portions of the fees by either fundraising
/ applying to Trusts or using their own savings if they have any.  There is
no consistency across the Local Authorities nor within a Local Authority
itself it seems as to how much funding they provide.
We have learnt recently however that some young people in Scotland have
been very fortunate to be fully funded by specific Local Authorities to
study at specialised colleges in England.  There have only been 2 young
people from the whole of Scotland attending Portland College in the
past 7 years, and yet Portland has a total of 300 student places per
annum. 

Why? Owing to the mammoth task and pressures placed on the families
to raise the funds PLUS RESIDENTIAL SPECIALISED PROVISION is not
encouraged in Scotland (click here for Scottish Government response).
Scottish Government commisioned a Mapping Study report in 2008 for
current  provision for Complex Needs further education across Scotland
(click here for results).

Did you know that there is a LIVE SCOTTISH PUBLIC PETITION WITH
THE PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE JUST ON THIS SUBJECT?
Open Petitions - Petition PE1180
Petition by Tom and Josie Wallace calling on the Scottish Parliament to
urge the Scottish Government to ensure that students with complex
needs are supported in achieving further education placements and
that appropriate  funding mechanisms are provided to enable such
placements to be taken up.
If you want to express interest please write to Fergus Cochrane, Clerk to
the Petitions Committee.

These young people deserve equal opportunities and choice regarding
further education.  If appropriate further education provision is not
available in Scotland, then central funding should be ring fenced by
Scottish Government to enable them to have an EQUAL opportunity
& choice to appropriate further education for all.FINOLA has been
assessed by the college and her fees are dependant on
her own care needs
ANNUAL FEE for 2009/10 £74,488* (starting Sept 2009)
*the college has since advised £73,953 (1.6.09)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT/ Edinburgh Local Authority 
have indicated that they will contribute: 
SOCIAL WORK - £17,000  (final figure still awaited as at 14.8.09)
EDUCATION - £22,815  
HEALTH - £0
The reason for £0 Health has been given as Finola does not meet the criteria for
meeting EXCEPTIONAL CLINICAL NEEDS.  



DID YOU KNOW?
That there are NO specialised colleges available in SCOTLAND
There are 56 specialised colleges in ENGLAND

PORTLAND COLLEGE FEES FOR FINOLA FOR 2009/10    £73,953 *per annum
YR 1: TOTAL AMOUNT GUARANTEED AS AT 14.8.09         £73,953
CURRENT DEFICIT - £0
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has helped make this happen. 
We did it with 3 weeks and 1 day to spare!
A massive achievement and thank you so much however the reality is we now have to focus on year 2 and 3. 
If we don't the real possiblility is that she will only be able to attend for 1 year.

THE FINOLA TRUST EDUCATION FUND
TOTAL MONIES RECEIVED TO DATE THROUGH ALL FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES
FROM PERIOD DECEMBER 2007 - 14 AUGUST 2009 FOR YEAR 1 

TOTAL: £73,953

BREAKDOWN OF INCOME VERSUS BUDGET
(please see below)
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us and to those who
continue to do so.

PROJECTED BUDGET FOR 2009/10        YEAR 1   
(Budget) (Actual)
TOTAL ANNUAL FEE REQ                      £75,000        £73,953* revised 11.6.09
Finola Trust Reserves                           £8,000         £8,000
FINOLA TRUST
Fundraising Initiatives/ 09 £5,000         £1,000  ITM Ball
Finola's BIG NIGHT in Leith          £1,430  Leith FM
BUPA Edinburgh Great Run 10km          £2,195.03
70's Night at the Grape(23.5.09)         £1,300.05 
Mic Night at Victoria Pub(29.5.09)       £500 
Race Night at Murrayfield Bar (5.6.09)        £315
Pedal for Scotland 2008         £200

Local Authority / Government funding
City of Edinburgh Education             £15,000 *      £22,815 (adv 30.4.09)
City of Edinburgh Social Work          £17,000 *      £17,000 (adv 27.4.09)
NHS                                                                  £0 *      £0           (adv 27.2.09)

Trust/Grant applications
TRUST/GRANT APPLICATIONS          £10,000 £11,250 (as at 14.8.09)

Balance required
BALANCE TO BE RAISED                    £20,000         £859.34  (Trust res.)
£7,088.58 (donations)

YR 1: TOTAL AMOUNT GUARANTEED AS AT 14.8.09
£73,953.00

PORTLAND COLLEGE FEES FOR FINOLA FOR 2009/10   

CURRENT DEFICIT - £0


A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS TRYING TO HELP US
TO GIVE FINOLA A FUTURE & RAISE AWARENESS FOR OTHERS