Following several years of development work by a steering group led by Rowena Arshad, LINKnet Mentoring Limited was incorporated on 24 November 2000 as a private company limited by guarantee (Company Number: 213148).

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The organisation was formally recognised as a charitable voluntary organisation on 6 March 2001
(Scottish Charity Number: SC029440).

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LINKnet Mentoring secured a three-year grant of £261,000 from the Community Fund (now the Big Lottery Fund). This funding enabled the organisation to begin operations on 1 November 2000, with:

• Two full-time staff

• One part-time staff member

• An office based at 31 Guthrie Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JG