22 youth projects in Dumfries and Galloway scooped their share of a £50,000 fund that will create new and exciting opportunities for young people across the region as part of 2018 Year of Young People.
The Young People’s Choices Fund, launched in November last year, will help organisations to deliver a wide range of events and projects for young people throughout the Scottish Government’s Year of Young People 2018.
The funding was awarded to projects following a participatory budgeting exercise, where control of the fund was handed over to the region’s young people to decide on where and how the money should be spent.
More than 1,000 young people voted with the result of 22 projects across the region receiving grants of between £700 and £5,000, including:
Dalbeattie High School – Daily Mile
Douglas Ewart High School – Netball Team & Young Leaders Development
Glenkens Community & Arts Trust – Community Arts Project
LGBT Youth – LGBT Event
Animals Supporting people at FRED CIC – Animal Therapy Sessions
DG Briefriending Project – Outdoor Activities
D&G District Netball – Regional Netball League
Duke of Edinburgh Awards – Leadership Residential
Kirkconnel & Kelloholm Gala – Funbox Show
Lockerbie Young Curlers – Curling Sessions
Moffat Golf Club – Golf Sessions
Newton Stewart Bowling Club – Bowling Sessions
Oasis Young Leaders – Intergenerational Project
Scottish Youth Parliament – Young People’s Rights Kits
Solway Sharks Ice Hockey Club – Help with Transport Costs
Stewartry Youth Clubs – Youth Events
Summerhill Community Centre – Sport Sessions
Whithorn Youth Group – Training for Young People
Wigtown Youth Forum – Mystery Tours
Youth Enquiry Service – Issue Based Youth Work
Glenkens Primary School – Activity Programme
The winners were presented with their cheques in Annan last Friday at the launch of Dumfries and Galloway’s Year of Young People.
Erin Thomson, who collected the cheque on behalf of Wigtown Youth Forum, said: “We’re really grateful for the funding that will enable us to run an exciting new programme during 2018 and we are thrilled to be part of the wider plans for Year of Young People in Dumfries and Galloway.”
Councillor Adam Wilson, Young People’s Champion, said: “Our Young People’s Choices Fund was a great way to help local organisations to put on events to celebrate the Year of Young People. All of the successful applicants have fantastic projects planned and these will complement our Council’s ambitious Year of Young People plan.”
All of the region’s Year of Young People activities and events can be found at www.yoypdg.co.uk and the latest news will be on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
