Choose Youth Work funding update

Choose Youth Work is funding provided by the City of Edinburgh Council to support universal youth work. It has been agreed that wherever possible in localities, the Choose Youth Work funds will support the outcomes of YouthTalk.

YouthTalk involves engaging with as many young people as possible in geographic areas aged 11 – 18 yrs to identify needs and aspirations of those involved. Thereafter and once there is clarity around young people’s expectations, organisations will be invited to submit proposals that will directly deliver against what the young people are looking for.

As the fund is to support activity across the locality, it is felt the YouthTalk process not only allows young people to have a say on what needs to be delivered, but also supports a fairer distribution of the small funds available.

The available budget of £24,035 will be divided across the three ‘small areas’ as identified in the North West Locality Improvement Plan, i.e. ‘North Edinburgh’, Clermiston, Drumbrae and East Craigs and areas of Kirkliston / South Queensferry. Populations and SIMD information will be used to split the available budget.

This process has completed in South Queensferry / Kirkliston and we will soon be looking to engage organisations to help deliver against one or more of the outcomes. YouthTalk is also underway in Clermiston / Drumbrae.

It is intended that the north YouthTalk will take place around March/April with outcomes known just before summer. As with the others, organisations will then be invited to submit proposals against what young people feel needs to be supported.

It was agreed city wide that a minimum of 6 months would be available for organisations to support activity, therefore, should there be any issues with the YouthTalk process, another youth engagement method will be introduced to ensure organisations and of course young people can benefit.

The information below is a summary of the earlier brief:

Choose Youth Work Funding Year 3 2019-2020

For the third and final year of Choose Youth Work, £60,000 was available to voluntary sector organisations for youth work projects operating on a city-wide basis in 2019-20 and the remaining £106,000 will be allocated to the four localities at the same level as in 2018- 19.

As before, the funding will be aligned with young people’s priorities and young people will play a central part in funding decisions. The funding is for work with young people aged 11- 25, with a focus on 11-18 year olds.

City-wide Fund

For 2019-20, the city-wide budget (£60k) will link with the two themes identified by young people, namely equal opportunities for all young people; and stress. These themes were the action research topics for Young Edinburgh Action this year. Reports are being finalised identifying recommendations for each topic.

Applications were invited from third sector youth work providers focused on equal opportunities and stress. These topics are also consistent with themes identified by young people as part of the Locality Improvement Plans and are similarly recognised as priorities or contributing to improved outcomes within the Edinburgh Youth Work Strategy, Children’s Services Plan and CLD Plan 2018-21. Awards will be made on the basis of young people and officers’ assessment of funding applications. There will be no city-wide vote this year.

The City-wide Fund is now closed for applications and decisions are expected early March 2019.

For more information on the city-wide fund, please contact:
John Heywood 0131 529 6507 or john.heywood.2@edinburgh.gov.uk / David Maguire 0131 529 2132 or david.maguire@edinburgh.gov.uk

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davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer