As part of the Scottish Government’s ‘CashBack for Communities’ scheme youth organisations and projects throughout Scotland will be able to apply for grants to fund projects that support young people who are involved or at risk of violence, drugs or antisocial behaviour. Grants can also be sought to support initiatives such as youth drop-in services, as well as residential, environmental and outdoor activities. 

MacAskill said the fund would give young people “from Selkirk to Shetland” the opportunity to and get more involved in their communities. 

He said: "Although the vast majority of our young people are law-abiding, there are still too many getting involved in crime and antisocial behaviour. 

"The Scottish Government is committed to giving our young people the opportunity to realise their potential and giving them real hopes and aspirations for their future.” 

He said it is “fitting” to use the “ill-gotten gains of criminals” to give something back to Scotland’s communities. 

He continued: "We want to help our young people develop, give them the opportunity to get involved in their communities and try things that might never normally be available to them. 

"We want to give them positive things to do with their lives and show them that there can be so much more to life than drink, drugs and offending. 

"CashBack for Communities is the means by which we will do so, making a real difference to the lives of young people throughout Scotland." 

Jim Sweeney, chief executive of YouthLink Scotland, the national youth work agency that will administer the fund, said: 

"YouthLink Scotland are delighted to have been asked by the Scottish Government to administer this significant grant funding.   

"We recently called on the Government to increase the funding that is going into youthwork projects around the country, and I am delighted to see this being addressed.  There is a lot to do, but the CashBack for Communities initiative is an extremely good start." 

John Loughton, chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament and the recent winner of Big Brother Celebrity Hijack, called the grant scheme an “injection of opportunity”. 

"It's great to see money being ploughed back into communities for the benefit of young people, particularly in those areas which are most in need.”