The launch of a new website, a presentation on GYC’s peer education project and an address by Children’s Commissioner Tam Baillie are among the highlights of Granton Youth Centre’s annual general meeting on 26 September.
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Tag: Granton Youth Centre
Government announces more cashback for youth groups
Minister for Young People welcomes £533k investment in 161 projects across Scotland
Thousands of young people across Scotland will benefit from CashBack for Communities youth work grants totalling half-a-million pounds which have been announced today for 2014-15.
Sixteen Edinburgh youth projects will receive a share of almost £46,000 this year – local beneficiaries include Pilton Youth & Children’s Project (PYCP), Leith’s Pilmeny Development Project, The Yard in Stockbridge and Granton Youth Centre,
Allocations from the CashBack for Communities Youth Work Fund for the first year, administered by YouthLink Scotland, have been made to 161 community groups supporting young people the length and breadth of Scotland. Between them, they are sharing an initial £533,036, which marks the first awards from a £2.094 million fund over the next three years.
Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell welcomed today’s announcement. She said: “Since Cashback for Communities was introduced by this Government in 2007, thousands of young people have benefited from more than 1.5 million sporting, cultural and educational activities and opportunities, all funded from ill-gotten cash seized from crooks. I am delighted to see so many great organisations are receiving this latest funding, which will help them take their important work even further.
“The average CashBack youth work funding award for each organisation is around £3,310 and that is an investment that will go a long way in supporting activities for young people. I have seen for myself many examples of the excellent work these organisations do, and wish them well as they turn exciting plans into reality.”
One organisation to have benefited is Strathmore Centre for Youth Development, which provides information and services for young people in the Strathmore area of Perthshire. It has received £2,182 to support its programme of activities, which includes organising trips for local youngsters.
Craig Cantwell, Centre Manager, said: “CashBack funding is extremely important to us as it allows us to give opportunities to young people who would otherwise never access such trips or learning opportunities. They are open to ideas and projects that are a bit different than the norm.
“As a retired Police Officer, I am grateful that this money is being put to good use and is being fed back into communities across Scotland.”
Another of the recipients to have benefited is Mid Argyll Youth Development Services, which has received £1,740 to support a dance program offered to young people throughout the region. Fiona Kalache, the Services’ Manager, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded a CashBack grant. This money will allow us to continue to run our diversionary dance program over the coming year. This is a very popular project which could not have carried on without this donation.”
Jim Sweeney, Chief Executive of YouthLink Scotland, said: “Our young people are the future of this nation so it is crucial they all have the opportunity to flourish. Putting the cash from criminals back into communities has offered thousands of young people the chance of a more positive path in life. Investing in youth work changes young people’s lives. It is an investment in all our futures as it helps create young people who are confident, engaged and a credit to society.”
Since the inception of the CashBack for Communities in 2007, over £74 million recovered from criminals has been invested in the Cashback Programme to provide over 1.5 million free activities for children and young people throughout Scotland.
Granton Youth Centre to celebrate ten terrific years
It seems hard to believe, but Granton Youth Centre will be holding their TENTH annual general meeting next month!
The Centre’s young people are still finalising the details of GYC’s AGM, which takes place on Friday 20 September but among the highlights are:
- an opportunity to see the refurbished main hall and youth work space
- a presentation on this year’s summer programme
- the pesentation of Saltire Awards
- the launch of the ‘Alcohol, The Street and Young People’ toolkit.
That’s a lot to pack into ninety minutes – the event starts at 1.30pm with the formal AGM at 2pm. Go along and celebrate GYC’s success with Granton’s young team!
For further information email: info@grantonyouth.com
Garden Party at Granton Youth Centre tomorrow
Granton Youth Centre will launch their summer programme with a Garden Party tomorrow (Friday 5 July) from midday to 4pm.
Barbecue, bouncy castle, fun and games and lots lots more – come along and find out what’s on at GYC during July!
All welcome
Happy birthday GYC!
Just how do you capture the ten-year history and list all the achievements of Granton Youth Centre in just an hour? That was the tough task set for organisers of the local youth centre’s tenth birthday celebration last Friday – but they passed the test with flying colours. And one young lad managed it in three simple words!
Granton Youth Centre’s special anniversary was marked by a civic reception, requested by Forth councillor Vicki Redpath and hosted at the City Chambers by Lord Provost Cllr Donald Wilson on 23 November.
The Lord Provost congratulated GYC on reaching a significant milestone and said: “As a teacher of thirty years experience I can say that nothing is more important than raising young peoples’ aspirations and self-esteem. It’s vital, and Granton Youth Centre has been delivering this service in an area of high deprivation for ten years – that is a great achievement. Many congratulations, and I’m delighted to welcome you all here today.”
GYC’s chairperson Liz Hair has been with the organisation since the beginning and she was the ideal person to talk about the Centre’s memorable events, progress and achievements – the drama productions, street work, volunteer training and employment support initiatives, the outreach work and counselling services … a programme that continues to offer a wealth of activities and opportunities for young people in North Edinburgh.
Liz also made a surprise presentation to former manager Vicki Ridley, who moved on to pastures new after a very successful ten year career in Granton.
Who better to summarise what GYC means to them than the young people who use the service themselves? Paul Carnie – a young person first attended the centre as a callow youth (!) before moving on to become a volunteer youth worker and then a member of staff – made a short documentary about the Centre, talking to staff, supporters, partners of the organisation and of course the Centre’s young people to neatly capture the essence of what GYC is all about.
Gavin Crosby, Youth Work Strategy Implementation Manager, presented awards to GYC’s successful INIT8 youth work course participants and encouraged more people to get involved in the rewarding world of youth work, and Superintendent David Carradice of Lothian and Borders Police spoke of this pleasure at attending the reception. “The police must be part of the community and so part of the everyday life of centres like Granton, so I am chuffed to bits to be here. I’m also delighted to see our local community beat officers here today too. Working with children and young people is crucially important to our communities – it can help children change their lives and move forward, so we want both to thank you and support you in the work you do.”
Perhaps the longest remembered words, though, came from young Jake in the documentary. Asked to sum up Granton Youth Centre in three words there was a long pause then … ‘an … amazing, minted, place!’
And that’s it in a nutshell, really – three words to sum up ten successful years!
Congratulations and happy birthday to all at Granton Youth Centre
Granton Youth Centre – an ‘amazing, minted place!’
For GYC read AMP! Granton Youth Centre celebrated their tenth birthday in style at a civic reception in the City Chambers last Friday. See below for some pictures from the event – full story to follow:
Justice secretary to join Granton celebration
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill MSP will be the guest speaker when Granton Youth Centre celebrate their tenth birthday with a civic reception at the City Chambers on 23 November.
Sainsbury’s customers serve up six thousand meals to tackle hunger
Sainsbury’s Million Meal Appeal has broken records thanks to generous donations from North West Edinburgh residents – and Granton Youth Centre will be one of the beneficiaries! On Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th October, customers at Sainsbury’s Blackhall donated enough food to provide 3000 meals to help feed vulnerable people affected by food poverty in the UK. Sainsbury’s also matched every meal donated by customers, so in total 6000 meals have been donated at Blackhall store.
The Million Meal Appeal is run with Sainsbury’s charity partner FareShare, a national charity dedicated to tackling hunger and food waste
The first Million Meal Appeal was held in 2011 with 600 stores participating. Thanks to customers’ generosity and Sainsbury’s pledge to match meals, 1.2 million meals were donated to FareShare. Due to its success, this year’s appeal was run in over 900 stores. Blackhall store were involved in both appeals and a massive two million meals have been donated in total this year, which includes matching from Sainsbury’s – that’s double the original target of 1 million meals!
Local volunteers, recruited by FareShare, leant a helping hand at the retailer’s Blackhall store over the weekend. The items collected, including tins, dried pasta, pasta sauce, rice, tea and instant coffee, are destined for local charities and projects in the surrounding community including Granton Youth Centre and Edinburgh City Mission.
Sainsbury’s Head of Community Affairs, Andy White said: “Our customers have been telling us that they like giving in this way and it’s really apparent by their generosity despite difficult times. We’re delighted to match all the meals donated by our customers and it means that together we’re helping to provide two million meals to vulnerable members of our communities that need it the most.”
FareShare CEO Lindsay Boswell added: “The response to the Million Meal Appeal has been incredible. We’ll be able to combine the donated pasta, rice and tinned food with the short life surplus meat, fruit and vegetables that we receive daily from the food industry. It will make these surpluses go even further in a time of real need.”
Going Forth with Granton Youth Centre
Nae work? Nae money? Nae chance? Nae choice? Bored? Nowt to do?
Granton Youth Centre’s Go Forth team can help find you work, support you to make money and offer you choices and chances to improve you and your life.
Contact Jamie, Mary or Tracey on 467 5854 or just drop in for an informal chat at Granton Youth Centre at 3 – 11 West Granton Road (near Granton Square) – it might just change your life!
