Copyright inverness-courier
THREE Highland organisations have been awarded a share of £221,000 in funding from the National Lottery, to help children and young people develop new skills, build confidence and thrive in their communities. Inverness’s Àban Outdoor received a total £73,634 to support young people through adventurous outdoor activities and volunteering opportunities. The funding comes through The National Lottery Community Fund’s Young Start programme, which uses dormant bank account money to empower young people to grow in confidence, develop skills and thrive in their local communities and beyond. Removing barriers to access, such as affordability with their weekly £1-to-access outdoor youth group, Àban Outdoor Ltd, offers activities such as hillwalking, climbing and camping to support young people like Dominic (15) from Inverness. He said: “Àban gets me outdoors and takes off a lot of the social pressures of being constantly online. The group has helped me a lot. I go outside more than ever since starting their youth activities, and I've had so many opportunities for personal growth.” The charity will use the funding to develop its existing projects, including a regular eight-week programme for up to 220 young people, which will build their outdoor skills and knowledge. It will culminate in an overnight expedition supported by qualified outdoor leaders that aims to improve wellbeing, and foster community connections. The organisation will also give young people the chance to gain practical skills in retail, IT, and customer service by volunteering in its outdoor equipment shop, to helping to prepare them for future employment. Johannes Petersen, chief executive of Àban Outdoor, said: "Our mountaineering club and volunteering opportunities aim to engage young people throughout their teenage years. As a relatively young charity, the impact of the Young Start funding is really significant for us. This funding allows us to plan ahead with our youth reps and club members, to ensure we continue making a difference in the community." Another Highland-based organisation that will receive funding, totalling £50,000, is Brora and District Action Group — a local voluntary development trust and charity. They will use the funding to support the staffing and running costs of their drop-in youth club based in Brora, which aims to support 100 children and young people aged 11-18 to build social connections, improve mental health and wellbeing. They also hope it will support their next steps into employment through learning and development, over three years. The final Highland organisation to be awarded a share of the funding is Kiltarlity’s Moniack Mhor Limited. With an award of £98,695 it will deliver a creative writing programme for young people across the Highlands, who may have experience of the care system, are a person with a disability, or are from a marginalised background. Announcing the funding Kate Still, Scotland Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Organisations such as Àban Outdoor and Moniack Mhor empower young people to play an active leadership role in their local and wider community. Equipping them with the skills, network and confidence they need to unlock their full potential. “We’re incredibly grateful to support them on this journey through this latest round of Young Start funding, that will improve the lives of young people across Scotland, through forty inspiring projects.” Young Start helps young people aged eight to 24 become more confident and play an active part in realising their potential. Funding of up to £100,000 is available for youth led projects. Groups can apply by emailing advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or calling 0300 123 7110. Find out more at: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/young-start Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.
