Senior P7 Pupils from 9 Primary schools, prioritising hose from the most deprived areas of Ayr, about 270 in total, will be brought with their teachers to Ayr Town Hall, where between 30 and 35 Careers will be on display, ranging from Aeospace engineering, Hairdressing, Dentistry and Medicine, Horticulture, police and Fire and Rescue, and many more. The "stalls" set out are as interactive as possible, and the careers representatives invited on the basis of their enthusiasm for their chosen careers, their ability to communicate with young folk, and in many cases, have come from challenging backgrounds themselves , with the ability to inspire these young folk with their own life experiences. This will be the third similar event we have run - the feedback and enthusiasm from the pupils, teachers, and careers reps has been inspirational, and in Rotary, working in partnership with the schools, we are keen to run this again in 2026. Costs include coach hire (increasing each year), hire of the Ayr Town Hall, and refreshments for the 60 (average number attending) Careers Reps, who give up a days work, some are self employed,  none of whom make any charge or claim for travel expenses, etc.Several have travelled from Glasgow and Edinburgh, some have asked to return each year in their enthusiasm to inspire these young people. The pupils are asked to feedback to their classes, and before the event, are given the list of careers, asked to chose those they are most interested in, and working with the teachers, do some preparatory reading up before arriving in the Hall.

We are requesting funding to increase the hours of our Ayrshire Key Worker – Bridging the gap of the Ayrshire key worker wage will support year-round support on the ground to meet new and existing candidates and support them to retrain and gain skills and encourage them into the vacancies that the tourism industry has due to the staffing crisis in the sector.

Funding to expand the scope of this role would not only provide essential ongoing support to the trainees but also make the Key Worker job in South Ayrshire more sustainable, increasing hours from the 20-25 up to 35-40. This would increase their income, benefiting their family as well as allowing Hi People to provide a more dedicated service for the communities we are working in in South Ayrshire; particularly those in rural and coastal areas where there are additional barriers such as transport links and lack of local work experience opportunities.

Hub International (Hi People CIC) deliver pop-up Hospitality Schools across the West of Scotland which are employability courses to engage and motivate trainees whilst using the themes of hospitality and tourism to make it relevant to in-demand sectors in the regions. We work directly with referral partners such as Thriving Communities, DWP and individual JobCentres to encourage eligible candidates to engage with the programme; it's intended to capture the attention of anyone over age of 16 and unemployed with an aim to maximise inclusion.

We use our passion, skills and experience to motivate & upskill the workforce through innovative, fun & hands on training, qualifications and mentoring support.

Hub’s work organically has a strong link to local place plans as we are passionate about developing local tourism destination development and we understand that communities and the people working in tourism businesses are the key to success. We need more skilled and passionate people in the hospitality and tourism industry, especially in costal tourism areas where there is also high deprecation such as Ayr.

Our work supports people and families to build futures that benefit generations through the honing of immeasurable skills that can help them secure work to provide for their families, cookery skills to support families to grow their knowledge of food, and budgeting to get out of food poverty.

If we were funded for increasing Key Worker hours - ongoing aftercare support would be possible, with more support and mentorship in the region, which will lead to more sustained employment and less people leaving and reduce the risk of any candidate returning to unemployment status.

thickets for theatre

community transport snacks

Dundonald is a vibrant rural village in South Ayrshire with a strong sense of community, but like many small settlements, it faces challenges around access to wellbeing services, social isolation, and opportunities for intergenerational connection. The redevelopment of the Scout group property into a Community Wellbeing Hub will provide a much-needed inclusive space for residents of all ages. It could support those experiencing loneliness, mental health challenges, and digital exclusion—particularly older adults, young people, and those living in more remote parts of the village. The project will strengthen community ties, promote healthier lifestyles, and create new opportunities for volunteering, learning, and social interaction, helping Dundonald thrive as a resilient and connected coastal community.

We plan to purchase the building (through asset transfer) from South Ayrshire Council and then redevelopment the Scout Hall to support two key outcomes:

· Promoting good mental health and wellbeing

· Tackling social isolation and loneliness

The building will be designed to offer:

· A calm, inclusive environment where individuals feel safe, respected, and supported.

· A venue for the community to offer counselling, peer support groups, and wellbeing workshops.

· Space for preventative activities such as yoga, mindfulness, creative arts, and physical exercise.

· Opportunities for co-design and community involvement, fostering a sense of ownership, belonging, and empowerment.

The building could also serve as a hub in the future to:

· Host informal social spaces for conversation, shared meals, and spontaneous interaction.

· Deliver intergenerational programmes that bring together people of all ages.

· Create volunteering opportunities, helping individuals build purpose and community ties.

· Provide digital inclusion support, including Wi-Fi access, devices, and skills training to help people stay connected.

N/A