WIREDGOV

As the National Lottery turns 20 this week, the Big Lottery Fund is awarding 82 projects in England a share of £22.8 million from its Reaching Communities programme to help communities and people most in need.

This month includes a broad range of projects bringing together different generations including an £94,800 award to the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD) to bring together young and older LGBT people. The project will address low self-esteem amongst the younger generations and isolation and loneliness felt by older people.

RCSSD will expand an existing project that had ended in January 2014 for people aged 18 to 25 to now include older people by creating a safe place for individuals to share their feeling and opinions through discussion groups, performance and creating an aural archive.

Young people will be able to discover more about LGBT history as older people will share their stories of the past, providing young participants with knowledge and experience of the gay community. Older people will not only have the chance to share their life stories but also interact with younger people as many do not have children or grandchildren. Eight workshops will be held each year in different locations including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Exeter and Newcastle. RCSSD will work with charities supporting older LGBT people that would like to take part in the workshops and performances.

Also supporting young people is Deafax which will use a grant of £98,385 to provide sexual health information to around 300 young deaf people plus their parents and health practitioners across England. Due to lack of information many young deaf people are left open to potential grooming and finding pornography online. The project has been developed directly from listening to the comments of younger deaf people and recognising that there was a huge gap in knowledge and information for those aged ten and above. Deafax.

The new project will deliver workshops and online support using British Sign Language and Sign Support English. Topics will include puberty, peer relationships, appropriate behaviour, consent, conception and STDs. Deafax will work with organisations including schools, colleges, youth groups and deaf clubs across England to identify beneficiaries.

Also supporting young people this month is the National Youth Advocacy Service which will use £233,838 to support those who are preparing to leave the care system as they move towards independence and adult life.  Using social media and other online engagement tools it will support young people to develop their skills and confidence.

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