Projects that will boost the physical and mental health of young Scots are amongst those sharing in £732,323 of dormant bank accounts funding announced on Thursday.
Ten projects, run for and by young people, are celebrating the cash from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Young Start fund.
One of them is Edinburgh’s Capital City Partnership, who receive £62, 500. The city council’s arms-length employability agency will use their Young Start funding to work with ‘young people in Edinburgh at high risk of unemployment’ who will be supported by a dedicated Employment Advocacy worker. The project will work with twenty young people and will also offer two volunteering opportunities.
The Young Start funding will remove barriers to sport and physical activity for young disabled Scots like racerunner athlete Wiktoria Mucha following a grant of £66,000 to local charity, PHSYICAL.
Wiktoria Mucha, 18, from Blairgowrie has cerebral palsy and is a member of Perth Strathtay Harriers which is one of the many partner organisations and sports clubs that PHYSICAL will work with as part of their Young Start funded ‘Positive Beginnings’ project.
Over the next three years hundreds of young people from Perth & Kinross will be able to access coaching opportunities, accredited courses, volunteering opportunities, one to one mentoring and peer support.
Welcoming the news Wiktoria said: “I enjoy race-running as it improves your overall fitness and emotional well-being. I’m looking forward to taking part in Positive Beginnings as I think it will help me with my confidence by meeting other people and learning new skills.”
PHYSICAL trustee Jim Hunter added: “This Young Start grant will allow us to evolve and grow our ‘Positive Beginnings’ programme. Young disabled people, like Wiktoria, will be at the centre of this process and involved throughout.
“It will help each young person develop lifelong skills and knowledge through the platform of sport and physical activity. This cash boost goes a long way to help us reach the financial target for this project.”
Meanwhile, Dundee Football Club in the Community Trust receives £95,624 to help build the confidence, skills and future employment prospects of young people aged between 15 and 24.
The project will create a safe space for young people to access work placements and further education opportunities whilst using their local knowledge to plan and deliver activities for their communities.
Over two years, it will support 45 young people who will create, design and benefit from the programme.
Welcoming the news, Greg Fenton, Community Manager, Dundee FC In The Community Trust, said: “We are delighted with the news of our Young Start grant, which will help us achieve what we set out as a charity to Deliver Change and Transform Lives in our community.
“This project will give young people a fantastic chance in life and, working with our team and partners, this will increase their positive life chances and support them into further education and/or employment.
“The Trust have guaranteed to employ some of the young people on full time and part time contracts from the programme for a full year, so they can give back to their community whilst transforming their lives and the lives of other young people.”
Young Start awards dormant bank and building society cash to youth-led projects across Scotland and is delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.
The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “At a time when young people are understandably concerned about their futures, it’s great to see that today’s Young Start funding will provide access to accredited courses, volunteering and training opportunities.
“This in turn will help to grow the confidence of many young people like Wiktoria who will lead from the front and realise their full potential.”
Groups wanting to know more about Young Start, and how it can support them during these unprecedented times should telephone 0141 846 0447 or visit https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/youngstart
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