WIREDGOV

A summer science roadshow which will engage and enthuse young minds across Scotland is one of eight projects thay recently (12 Feb) shared £319,606 from the latest Young Start awards.

Run by the Big Lottery Fund Scotland, the programme awards money from dormant bank and building society accounts to support a range of projects that help young people aged eight to 24 reach their full potential.

This summer Edinburgh International Science Festival will be able to roll out their ‘Fuselab Go’ project across Scotland after an award of £25,000.   The project will inspire the next generation of innovators, engineers, scientists and entrepreneuers through a two day intensive and interactive science course. The group will now be able to travel to ten locations across the country to engage hundreds of young minds.

Edinburgh International Science Festival Director, Dr Simon Gage said, ‘Fuselab Go is an exciting opportunity for innovators of the future, which will see young pioneers tackle the challenge of designing an off-world community, a civilization on another planet.  Our two day immersive boot-camp will give 400 talented young people the vital skills to become effective innovators, helping them find out what they enjoy and are talented at and encouraging them to take theri first steps towards being future leadiers in their chosen fields. We’re delighted that Fuselab Go will be supported by Young Start on its mission round Scotland this summer, delivering a cutting edge experience to young people all over the country.’

Funding was also received recently by Voluntary Action Orkney. Thanks to a grant of £30,066, the group will be able to continue their ‘Young Person’s Befriending Project’ for the next two years. This will offer a range of specially tailored support to 30 vulnerable young people on the island aged between 7 and 18.

Gail Anderson, Chief Executive, said, ‘We are delighted at the announcement that Voluntary Action Orkney’s ‘Young Person Befriending Project’ has received funding from Young Start and are grateful for their continuing support. The funding will allow us to recruit and train additional volunteers to respond to the increasing demand for our service and so enable us to support more vulnerable young people in Orkney.’

Based in North Berwick, the Star Youth Club will be able to continue to run a weekly youth club for local teenagers with a wide variety of disabilities, including those with severe and complex needs.  Thanks to a Young Start award of £30,370, twenty five young people will be able to set their own programme of activities and events for the coming year.  The youngsters are supported by three experienced youth workers and 20 young volunteers, who will be offered a range of ongoing training opportunities in their role.

Chair of Big Lottery Fund Scotland, Maureen McGinn, said recently: “Today’s Young Start grants will fund a broad range of activities with positive impacts on all involved.  Projects include mentoring support to isolated young people on Orkney, a very special youth club in East Lothian and a science project which will engage young minds across Scotland. We’re delighted that, over the last two years, Young Start has been able to support so many excellent projects, creating great opportunities for children and young people in Scotland.”

Other projects that received funding from Young Start recently were:-

Leonard Cheshire Disability
Highland
£49,965
This group will be work with people with disabilities giving them the skills and confidence to access and enjoy IT. Based in Cheshire House Inverness the project will benefit 40 young people and 43 people with disabilities.

Lanarkshire Rape Crisis Centre
South Lanarkshire
£47,646
This organisation will use the two year grant to establish a youth empowerment programme. Operating throughout North and South Lanarkshire, the project will promote self-confidence and positive attitudes to gender and sexuality.

Geeza Break
Glasgow City
£47,854
This group will use the grant to continue their successful Geeza Chance project which is due to end in March 2015. The project works with kinship carers who have responsibility for caring for young people experiencing difficulties in living with parents who have addiction issues and an inability to cope.

The Carrick Centre
South Ayrshire
£40,226
This organisation will use the grant to continue to deliver a varied programme of educational and social activities for local young people. Based in Maybole the project will provide learning opportunities in IT, creative arts, support to find employment and a range of other services.

The British Red Cross Society
City of Edinburgh
£25,000
This three month project will deliver a two day intensive science course over a range of venues in Scotland. Courses will focus around a practical science task that will encourage innovation, teamwork and a greater awareness of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers available. 400 young people aged 15-18 from all over Scotland will participate with a particular focus on young people from areas of significant deprivation.

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1451
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGScotland #biglf 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Notes to editors

• Dormant accounts are defined in the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 as those which have seen no customer-initiated activity for at least 15 years.
• In September 2011 the Scottish Government formally issued instructions to the Big Lottery Fund to distribute dormant accounts funding for the benefit of Scotland’s voluntary and community sector.
• The Reclaim Fund Ltd. (RFL), which was established in March 2011 to receive and invest dormant account balances across the UK, transferred the first tranche of monies from dormant bank and building society accounts to BIG on 2 August 2011. Scotland will receive an 8.4% share of the total funds to be distributed.
• The Distribution of Dormant Account Money (Apportionment) Order 2011 prescribes that Scotland will receive 8.4% of the dormant accounts money to be made available for distribution by the Big Lottery Fund under the 2008 Act. The estimated grants budget for 2014/15 is £4.8m. It should be noted that this figure is a median projection and may go up or down.
• The Fund is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 it has awarded close to £6bn.
• In the year ending 31 March 2013, 28% of total National Lottery revenue was awarded to projects. Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £31 billion has been raised and more than 400,000 grants awarded.