Charities share £900,000 to support young people

Charities and community groups across Scotland are to share just under £900,000 in dormant bank account funding for youth projects.

The Young Start funding is being handed out by the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) to 12 initiatives.

This includes £97,500 to help Brunswick Community Development Trust offer volunteering opportunities at its youth club. This is set to support 150 young people and 25 volunteers will benefit from the project.

Meanwhile, the National Schizophrenia Fellowship will support young people with complex mental health needs as they move from children to adult services support through its £45,000 grant. The Fellowship aims to work with 44 young people across the Tayside region.

Elsewhere, North Lanarkshire based charity Gael Music will use its £39,320 in funding to carry out an 18-month project for young people to share stories and music about their local area. This also encourages young people to use digital techniques with the aim of creating an online legacy for children to access in the future.

“This is a complex project which represents a unique opportunity to the children and young people taking part,” said Gael Music director Luke Daniels.

“I am acutely aware that work of this nature would simply not be possible without the support of Young Start. The activities we have planned over the next eighteen months will have such a positive impact on the lives of everyone taking part whilst also benefiting participating families and their surrounding communities.”

A full list of recipients can be found here.

NLCF Scotland chair Kate Still added: “We’re thrilled to have been able to fund such innovative and inspiring groups through Young Start once again.

“We are always keen to support projects which put Scotland’s young people at the heart of the development and running of services.

“If your group has an idea how you would make this happen, then we’d love to hear from you.”   