Using the Young Scot NEC to reduce food poverty
We can support you to deliver food in a stigma-free way to local young people.
The ‘Attainment Challenge: National Strategic Partnership’ (#YSAttain) is our partnership with the Scottish Government, Local Authorities, Transport Scotland, the Improvement Service and the National Entitlement Card Programme Office.
We use the Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC) to provide young people with entitlements that improve health and wellbeing and help to reduce the poverty-related attainment gap. Many of our Local Authority partners provide food to local young people using the Young Scot NEC. This reduces the stigma that young people feel when accessing the entitlement. Also, it supports their dignity by providing choices around the food they access.
School meals in North Ayrshire and Highland
Schools used the Young Scot NEC to provide free school breakfasts. £1.50 of cashless catering credit was added to the Young Scot NECs of young people who receive free school meals. This allowed them to have a nutritious breakfast at school before the start of the day. As the schools offer a cashless catering system accessed via the Young Scot NEC, there is no stigma attached to redeeming this entitlement.
The breakfast is great. It is good because instead of my parents having to spend money on breakfast, I can get it in school and they can spend money on other things - Young Person, North Ayrshire
In the community
There have been various ways in which young people have been able to access food entitlements in their local community, proving their eligibility with the Young Scot NEC. Young people have been able to access meal deals in local cafes, community cafes and at leisure centres. This provides choice to the young people, and by using the universally available Young Scot NEC to prove eligibility, again reduces stigma as young people are not identified as part of the project.
Local cafes in Renfrewshire, Dundee & North Lanarkshire
Young people in Paisley and Bellshill used their Young Scot NEC to access free daily meals at popular local cafes. Young people showed their Young Scot NEC and the number was cross-referenced with basic information (Young Scot NEC number and young person’s initials) provided to the cafes. Many of these cafes also offer discounts to all Young Scot NEC holders. Therefore, the young people taking part in #YSAttain received their free meals in a stigma-free way.
In Dundee, young people used their Young Scot NECs to access a free lunch deal at two community cafes across the city. This was offered in conjunction with the free smart travel entitlement allowing young people to travel to the cafes easily.
When we were ever short on food in the house it was comforting to know there was a place we could go to get food without having to worry about it. - Young Person, Dundee
Leisure and community centres in the Highlands
Young people in Inverness used their Young Scot NEC to access free meals at a local leisure centre. Each day, £10 credit was added to their Young Scot NECs and the eligible NEC numbers were added to the EPOS till system.
I have been able to attend the gym and the swimming pool on a Friday afternoon, and after I have been going and getting my dinner from the bistro - Young Person, Highland
Online Food Vouchers
Through #YSAttain young people are invited to join Closed Groups on young.scot using their Young Scot NEC number. These groups are a great way to offer online food vouchers, including those for supermarkets, Just Eat and Costa. These groups give young people the choice about what and where they eat.
Get started
Are you interested in introducing #YSAttain to your Local Authority, organisation or project? Here are some things to consider and speak to us about, before implementing a new entitlement:
Do you have an existing group of young people you would like to engage with?
What local food providers are popular with young people and offer healthy meals?
Does the local provider have the relevant smart technology in place which is compatible with the Young Scot NEC? If not, can a manual work-around be put in place?
Do you have a means of communicating with the group of young people about the entitlement?
Do you have capacity for staff to support delivery of this entitlement?