Think Positive grants and funding for college counsellors: FOI release

Information requested

Question 1: Could you please confirm grant funding by the Scottish Government to Think Positive for the academic year 2022-23?

Question 2: In 2019, the Scottish Government announced plans to fund 80 additional mental health counsellors in Scottish colleges and universities between 2019 and 2023. Could you please confirm how many mental health counsellors (FTE) have been appointed by colleges using this Government funding.

Response

1. Scottish Government funding is allocated on a financial year (FY) basis. The Scottish Government have allocated £57,013 to NUS Think Positive in the 22/23 financial year for the academic year 2022- 23. Any further funding for academic year 2022-23 will be considered as part of the Scottish Government financial cycle for 2023/24.

2. The latest figures from the Scottish Funding Council show that 41 FTE mental health counsellors have been appointed by colleges through this programme, as of April 2022. We do not know the 2022- 23 position yet.

In total, an additional 89 FTE additional counsellors have been appointed across both colleges and universities since the programme began.

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