Investing in our communities
Each day ScottishPower engages in activities that have a positive impact on society. We create wealth and jobs, deliver goods and services, drive innovation, and contribute to the skills base. Over and above these activities, we regularly contribute to community based organisations and engage in activities to help address a range of wider issues in the communities where we operate.
This specific voluntary engagement with charitable organisations or activities that extends beyond companies’ core business is broadly known as Corporate Community Investment.
At ScottishPower we strongly believe that raising awareness and providing support at an early age helps young people make important and informed choices regarding their future careers. We are also committed to providing routes for people who want to return to work after a careers break.
'I am passionate about my career within Scottish Power which motivates me to be a STEM ambassador. Volunteering at multiple STEM events allows me to raise the aspirations and opportunities available to young people. While sharing my goal to inspire our next generation to better engage and continue to study STEM subjects and explore STEM careers as they think ahead to their future. Taking part in STEM events builds my confidence and presentation skills, as well as providing me the opportunity to network with a range of people to help me see my own work from a different perspective too.’
Ava Connor, SPEN Project Management Apprentice
Here are some of the initiatives we have taken to help and support our communities.
Generation Science
Generation Science brings unique and inspiring science lessons directly to classrooms all over Scotland with a programme of highly interactive shows and hands-on workshops. These workshops are back to being delivered in person. ScottishPower will support the delivery of the upcoming Edinburgh Science Generation Science in 2023.
Breaking Barriers Programme
The Breaking Barriers programme is run in partnership with Strathclyde University and ENABLE Scotland and includes access to mainstream university, a graduation ceremony and an eight-week work placement at ScottishPower for young people with learning disabilities.
Visit the Breaking Barriers website
Returners Programme
ScottishPower is excited to partner with Equate to deliver our Returners Programme UK wide.
Mental Health Awareness
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. It’s a normal part of everyday life, and we all have our ups and downs. How we feel can vary from good mental wellbeing to difficult feelings and emotions, sometimes even to severe mental health problems. ScottishPower has a positive approach to mental health and provides a range of support services available for all staff. This includes and Employee Assistance Programme and confidential helpline, plus trained Mental Health First Aiders as part of our commitment to Occupational Health Support.
MCR Pathways
MCR Pathways is a Scottish charity supported by ScottishPower whose vision that every care-experienced and disadvantaged young person in Scotland gets the same education outcomes, career opportunities and life chances as every other young person. Their school-based Mentoring and Talent Taster programme supports disadvantaged and care-experienced young people, helping them to find, grow and use their inspiring talents and then progress onto positive destinations.
Visit the MCR Pathways website
Glasgow Science Centre
Electric Detectives workshop programme is delivered at the Glasgow Science Centre. GSC expects to engage with a minimum of 1100 pupils and their teachers with this already developed hands-on electricity themed workshop. Electric Detectives creates interactive experiences for young people on STEM and the electricity industry.
The Girl Guides Event at Glasgow Science Centre is set to pilot in 2023, with the aim to encourage more girls to select STEM subjects.
Pre-apprenticeship Programme
ScottishPower sponsors The Engineering Pre-apprenticeship Programme available to young people ages 16-19, equipping them with the knowledge and experience to enhance their skill set.
Pre-apprenticeship ProgrammeDumfries House
We work in partnership with Dumfries House and major employers to help schools deliver a range of stimulating STEM-based activities, as well as highlighting the exciting career prospects in these areas. Dumfries House Engineering Centre to give it its full name, provides experiential indoor and outdoor learning for primary and early secondary school students - activities are designed to challenge pupils as they imagine, design, build and test solutions to real world problems.
Information for school groups, youth organisations and forthcoming events are on the website.
Visit the Dumfries House website
Young Engineers & Science Clubs Scotland
As part of this organisation’s annual Celebration of Engineering and Science, we present a STEM challenge for up to 50 Young Engineers and Science Clubs from all over Scotland. These primary and secondary school children don’t just get the opportunity to display their projects, but compete for a range of great prizes too.
Visit the Young Engineers & Science Clubs Scotland website
All About STEM
All About STEM is about doing amazing things to inspiring young people and to promote exciting and rewarding Science, Technology Engineering and Maths opportunities. We work on lots of different projects to bring exciting events to schools, linking them with business and industry expert volunteers at ScottishPower, inspiring the next generation of STEM specialists.