Tag: Cashback for Communities

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.”

Cashback for Communities fund open for applications

More than £18 million seized from criminals is to fund projects which divert disadvantaged young people away from crime. Phase 5 of the unique funding stream opened yesterday and runs until 28 June. Continue reading Cashback for Communities fund open for applications

Youth projects launch My Travels postcard campaign

Young people from Deaf Action in Edinburgh and The Junction based in Leith gathered at the Scottish Parliament recently to launch the ‘My Travels’ postcard campaign, run by YouthLink Scotland.  Continue reading Youth projects launch My Travels postcard campaign

Youth organisations to share £17 million CashBack funding

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Groups helping some of Scotland’s most disadvantaged young people are to receive funding support of £17 million. Seventeen organisations have been awarded the money, seized from criminals operating in Scotland, in the latest round of CashBack funding. Continue reading Youth organisations to share £17 million CashBack funding

MSP welcomes criminal cashback for local groups

“This funding will support Pilton Youth and Children’s Project and The Prince’s Trust Scotland to continue to provide valuable services to our young people in Edinburgh Northern and Leith” – Ben Macpherson MSP

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Ben Macpherson MSP has welcomed the award of Cashback for Communities funding to Pilton Youth and Children’s Project (PYCP) and The Prince’s Trust Scotland. The fund disburses cash seized from criminals, and this year the scheme will see almost £2 million given to community groups across Scotland to help young people in disadvantaged areas – often the areas that suffer most from crime and antisocial behaviour. Continue reading MSP welcomes criminal cashback for local groups

Parliamentary praise for Granton Gogglebox!

Five star reviews are commonplace in Edinburgh at Festival time – the superlatives are thrown around like confetti, but it takes a special performance indeed to merit a mention at Scotland’s parliament at Holyrood. Take a bow then, You Name It! Youth Theatre – Granton Gogglebox has been praised in a parliamentary motion by Northern and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson!

Continue reading Parliamentary praise for Granton Gogglebox!

More Cashback for Communities

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A £17 million fund to help some of the country’s most disadvantaged young people is now open. The cash, seized from criminals, has been committed to the next phase of CashBack funding and will be used to provide activities and opportunities across Scotland. Continue reading More Cashback for Communities

Shiver our timbers!

Muirhouse lads on Ocean Youth Trust trip of a lifetime

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Two of our young Centre volunteers, Paul Alexander & Chris Barnes (above), embarked on the adventure of a lifetime as they enrolled in a positive learning environment under sail on the Alba Explorer from 31 August to 4 September (writes James McGinty).

Both lads kept a log of their adventure with feedback from their skipper Steve. Reading their log was as difficult as writing it in the ocean swell! With goals to achieve daily and new skills to learn, the skipper’s remarks were favourable.

The values and skills learned fell into many categories:

Meeting new people – and the art of conversation.
Following Instructions – Speaking out in groups
Getting Up Early ( Bet you thought this was not possible!!)
Working in a team -Being on time
Working on daily goals – Keeping Calm.

Many of these qualities can be taken into the lads’ adulthood; so well done, Paul and Chris!

Here are some of the 244 pictures and videos taken by the lads and their crewmates. Click On To our Website to see more: www.muirhousecommunitycentre.co.uk

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A life on the ocean wave for Craigie crew!

Craigroyston kids sail the Clyde thanks to CashBack for Communities and Ocean Youth Trust Scotland 

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Eight young people from Edinburgh were given the opportunity to take part in an Ocean Youth Trust Scotland voyage funded with money from CashBack for Communities last week. The group set sail from Greenock on 31 August to spend five days exploring the waters of the Upper Clyde.

The group was made up of young people from Craigroyston Community High School and Castlebrae Community High School.

The Craigroyston group was particularly looking forward to their voyage – three of them recently completed the build of their coastal rowing skiff with Muirhouse Youth Development Group!

Whilst on board, the group found themselves fully responsible for sailing the 72ft yacht, Alba Explorer, including all the elements of day to day life on board the yacht from cleaning and cooking to hoisting and dropping sails on the foredeck.

Speaking to a very excited group at the end of the voyage, this is what they had to say:

“This trip will change lots of people’s lives, especially the people who thought they had nothing after school.”

“An enriched week full of beautiful moments and memories. Life changing and unforgettable.”

“I learned something new every day.”

“I learned so many things, some great ideas we can use with our skiff and confidence in myself and in meeting new people.”

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Richard Haig, OYTS First Mate on board said, “It was amazing to see the change in the young people from the start of the week to the end. One of the girls in particular was so quiet at the start of the week. But, by the end I watched her grab a full sail bag from the pontoon and throw it over the guard rail onto the deck saying: “I’m stronger than I look!” – a real show of the confidence she had gained over the week!”

All members of the crew received the Royal Yachting Association’s Start Yachting Level 1 Award, the SQA’s Level 3 Speaking and Listening qualification.  All of the young people have also put themselves forward to be Ocean Youth Trust Scotland volunteers and have asked to be put forward for OYT’s Young Leaders Development Programme.

Ocean Youth Trust Scotland (OYT Scotland), Scotland’s leading sail training organisation, is transforming more than 320 young people’s lives over two years thanks to an award from the “CashBack for Communities” scheme – the Scottish Government’s proceeds of crime fund.

Participants from disadvantaged backgrounds across Scotland will take part in five-day long sea voyages in some of the world’s best sailing waters. During the voyage, the novice sailors gain nationally accredited qualifications, and also improve their communication and problem-solving skills.

Nick Fleming, Chief Executive of OYT Scotland said: “Our voyages offer young people a truly unique and life changing opportunity. Over the course of a very intense week, living together in close proximity, they not only learn to sail, they learn leadership skills and how to work effectively as a team.

“This group have been a clear example of all that this programme aims to achieve in every participant.  Our sea-staff, comprising both professionals and volunteers, understand how to get the best from each individual. This results in young people often being able to achieve things they never imagined they were capable of and changing their outlook on what the future could hold”.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Investing in our young people is always money well spent and I am delighted that the Scottish Government’s Cashback for Communities programme is providing this valuable funding for worthy projects across Scotland.

“This Government is committed to ensuring young people reach their full potential. The vast majority of them are a credit to society but we want to prevent the small minority getting involved in crime or antisocial behaviour in the first place.

“Scotland’s unique CashBack for Communities programme invests monies seized from criminals back into our communities. Since 2008, we’ve committed £75 million community initiatives right across the country, improving lives and helping Scotland prosper.”

Over the past fifty years, Greenock-based OYT Scotland has grown to become one of the leading sail training charities in the world. With two sail training vessels, Alba Explorer and Alba Venturer, OYT Scotland completed 57 voyages with 569 young people in 2014.

For more information about OYT Scotland go to www.oytscotland.org.uk

For more information on the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities scheme go to www.cashbackforcommunities.org