Tag: Young people

Leisure centres ban high energy drinks for under 16s

Publicly funded leisure centres in all local authorities have now banned the sale of high-energy soft drinks to young people under the age of 16.

The restriction will apply to soft drinks with an added caffeine content of more than 150mg per litre. Continue reading Leisure centres ban high energy drinks for under 16s

Wheely good! Youth projects celebrate Young Start funding

Fifteen fantastic youth led projects are today celebrating their share of over £700,000 in dormant bank account monies from the Young Start Fund. Amongst them are a bike lending library and an off-road motorcycling project, both aiming to build the confidence and employability skills of young people. (See below for full list of awards).

Edinburgh-based Dunedin Canmore will receive £60,000 for a youth programme. This group will provide a range of services and activities for young people aged 12-18 in the Gorgie and Dalry areas. Services on offer will include Health Respect drop-ins, one-to-one support sessions and outdoor learning activities. The project will work with around 390 young people and involve 11 volunteers.

Thanks to a grant of £30,000, The Knightsridge Adventure Project, in Livingston, will be able to take ‘The Vennie Bike Lending Library’ to the next level. Young volunteers will take ownership of the project and will be trained to manage the bike lending library, maintain bikes, and lead cycle rides across the community.

Welcoming the funding is young volunteer Scott Forbes, 16, (below) who joined the project seven years ago. He said: “I started coming along to The Vennie when I moved to the area – I didn’t know anyone so it really helped me make friends and provided a place to go after school when my parents were working.

“Volunteering has boosted my confidence and taught me how to engage with, and run activities for my peers, which I think will be useful for future employment. This place is so important for many of the young kids who can’t afford a bike of their own and who need somewhere to go after school.

“With this money we’ll be able to refurbish more bikes and run more cycle led rides across the community, which is what young people have been asking for. My hope is that these cycle trips inspire them as much as it’s inspired me in terms of ideas for the future.”

Thomas Heron (above), project lead at The Vennie Bike Project, said: “We are over the moon to have received this funding. Young people have demanded and driven this project and their opinions and ideas have led to the creation of the bike lending library, so I feel this epitomises what Young Start is all about.

“Now we can employ someone to co-ordinate the cycle led routes, maintenance workshops and help the project grow. Seeing the young people, many of whom can’t afford bikes, getting out and experiencing fresh air is wonderful and we can’t wait to see where the project goes.”

Meanwhile, young people at risk of offending will get their lives back on track as Fife based KORMC receives a Young Start grant of £42,803. The funding will be used to combine off-road motorcycle coaching with teaching young people valuable life skills.

David Paton, KORMC Programme Manager, said, “Wow, we are absolutely delighted to hear about the award from the Young Start Fund. It gives us an opportunity to continue the good work we have started. Also, to start new work on a motorcycle mechanics and maintenance programme. 

The feedback from parents, referrers and young people has been amazing, this is letting us know, that we are On the Right Track. With this new financial support, we will continue to develop young people in a positive way, whilst also making our communities safer.”

Announcing today’s funding totalling, £747,452, Maureen McGinn, National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Chair, said, “Young Start aims to help children and young people across Scotland realise their potential while also building invaluable skills and confidence for the future.

“These brilliant groups reflect that aim by placing young people at their heart of project design, delivery and evaluation. It’s an absolute delight to announce this funding.”

Young Start Awards July 2019

 

National Art Treasure Hunt launched – with a twist!

This year as part of our campaign to raise awareness of Cashback for Communities and how creative young Scots are, projects from all over Scotland are inviting the public to get involved in a journey of artistic discovery and to share their finds through selfies on social media.

Artwork or installations created by young people will be left in popular places in local communities across Scotland for people to discover.  Want to become an art sleuth?

You can find out more about the campaign on www.youthlinkscotland.org/CashBackCreates

Each item will have a tag attached to it explaining about CashBack funding and encouraging people to share their find on social media using #CashBackCreates.

We hope this will raise awareness of so many creative projects, and encourage other young people to get involved and create excitement about what’s going on in their local area. This guerrilla marketing style campaign has been launched today and will continue until the end of July.

So what kind of things might you be looking for? Here are some of the projects involved:

Indepen-dance create inclusive, fun and engaging workshops for young people no matter what their ability. What’s a dance without props? So for #CashBackCreates young people will be writing words they associate with the project on scarves and ribbons and they will be hung around Eastbank Academy and Newhills School in Glasgow.

Always wondered where fairies live? Wonder no more! Young people in Falkland are creating a range of fairy doors to be left in the local woods (above); this project helps to teach young people a range of artistic skills like woodwork and painting.

Spot a newspaper in the local community at Wester Hailes in Edinburgh, it might not be as it seems. Young people are creating a mock up edition of the local paper, sharing information about their project and the young people involved.

If you are in Dumfries and Galloway, keep an eye out for handmade bracelets, created by autistic young people, each bracelet spells a positive word to give you the feel good factor! Every bracelet will include a handmade bead with the logo of the project.

Passing through Galashiels Interchange? Keep an eye out for a colourful guitar sculpture, it will be playing music created by young people so you won’t be able to miss it!

In Campbeltown, young people will be creating decorative rocks and leaving them in the community for people to discover (above). Will you be one of the lucky people to discover a rock? Added bonus, discoverers who tweet their find will be entered into a competition to win cinema tickets & popcorn!

What’s Doricula we hear you ask? It’s Dracula with a Doric twist, of course! This project will see young people create a brand new show all about the history of Aberdeenshire. And they want to share their creation with the community. Look out for spooky snaps of doricula all around Peterhead with invitations to their end of season show!

The CashBack for Creativity Open Fund, administered by YouthLink Scotland through delivery partner, Creative Scotland and funded by Scottish Government has awarded a total of £324,000 to 45 community-based arts project across the country, which will reach over 4,927 young people in local communities.

The fund offers a fantastic chance for young people to access a range of high-quality arts, screen and creative industries activities. The programme targets children and young people in communities and areas where there is currently a lack of opportunity.

CashBack for Communities is a unique Scottish Government programme which takes money seized from criminals under the proceeds of crime legislation and invests them in our future – our young people.  Since 2008, £110 million has been committed to community initiatives to improve the quality of life of young people right across Scotland.

Jane Dailly, National Programmes Manager at YouthLink Scotland, The National Agency for Youth Work, said: “We know that young people are creating and involved with imaginative and fun projects and we would like to raise awareness of that across the country. 

“What better way to make someone else’s day and put a smile on their face than through the discovery of an awesome piece of locally created work.”

Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Humza Yousaf said: “This campaign is a great way to get communities involved in the creative arts and today’s investment further demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to building a stronger, fairer and more inclusive society.

“Our Investment in the Cashback for Communities Programme has helped young people learn new skills, boost their confidence and reach their full potential in life.”

Laura Black, Arts Officer, CashBack for Creativity, Creative Scotland, commented: “The inspiring projects announced today through the CashBack for Creativity Open Fund are opening up access to a huge range of innovative and exciting projects for young people across Scotland. 

“With today’s launch of #CashBackCreates, we’re looking forward to sharing and bringing to life young people’s creative endeavours across the country.”

First Minister announces food education programme

A food education programme designed to teach children and young people about Scotland’s food industry has been launched by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The Good Food Futures programme, backed by £1 million of investment, aims to give children a greater understanding of where food comes from and the many career opportunities available in the industry.

The programme will also include support for more farm visits, healthy cooking lessons and put more locally produced healthy food on school menus.

Speaking at the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, the First Minister said: “Scottish produce is enjoyed across the globe and Scots work in many of the world’s finest kitchens. I want people to enjoy our quality food, but I also want children and young people growing up here to benefit from it too.

“The Good Food Futures programme will help more children understand where their food comes from as well as benefit from it in their school meals. It will also encourage more young people to consider a career in the industry.

“In introducing more of our produce to children and young people, we will help farmers, food producers, manufacturers and businesses benefit in the longer term too.

“This is central to our work to become a Good Food Nation and the Royal Highland Show – with its focus on the best of Scottish produce – provides the perfect place to launch this programme.”

 The Good Food Futures food education programme is being delivered in partnership with:

  • Education Scotland and Food for Thought. The Food For Thought programme has been running for several years and provides funding to support schools in teaching teach children about growing and cooking healthy food.
  • Soil Association though the Food for Life Programme aims to stimulate more local sourcing through a holistic approach encompassing catering and supply chain work and education.