WIREDGOV

Young Start grants totaling £959,989 are awarded to 24 projects across Scotland today (13 JUNE).  

Run by the Big Lottery Fund Scotland, Young Start awards money from dormant bank and building society accounts that have seen no customer-initiated activity for at least 15 years. The money supports a range of projects that help young people aged eight to 24 years old reach their full potential.

Glasgow Media Access Centre Ltd (GMAC) supports film making by providing equipment, training and production opportunities. From the summer onwards, young people from at risk backgrounds in Glasgow will get the chance to make their own film thanks to a grant of £30,215 for GMAC’s one year project, Mad About Movies. Aimed at having a positive effect on participants’ confidence there will be two sessions offering intensive film making activities. A 14 day summer school for young people, aged 14-19 years old, will culminate in the production of a short film to be showcased at festivals. A further eight day school in October will give individuals, aged 9-14, the chance to make a film in one of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games venues.

Big Lottery Fund Scotland Director, Jackie Killeen said: “Young Start funding can help children and young people gain the abilities and confidence they need for positive and healthy futures. Offering film production to young people less likely to have access to such an activity will help their self-assurance enormously and open up avenues of training and employment they may not otherwise have considered. Mad About Movies is one of 24 projects being funded in Scotland today which are all excellent examples of initiatives that can help develop skills and increase self belief in young people.”

The Befriending Project for Children with Learning Disabilities in the Borders will be able to continue their service thanks to today’s grant of £18,378. Run by Interest Link Borders, the befriending programme connects young people with learning disabilities, aged 8-16 years old, with befriending volunteers. They will meet regularly to take part in activities such as going to the  cinema or going swimming as well as meeting in group sessions on a fortnightly basis in community venues. Befriending helps increase confidence for both parties but for the young person with learning disabilities it also helps their social inclusion and communication skills. Volunteers are young people, aged 14-18 years old, recruited from local schools, Borders College or from youth clubs, and the group also have older, more experienced volunteers to offer support.

Young people living in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will be able to test their sea legs this summer. Aberdeenshire Sailing Trust (AST) is partnering with Rosehearty Community Boat Club (RCBC) to offer summer taster sessions including boat building and Royal Yachting Association qualifications which could lead to volunteer instructor posts. Today’s grant of £21,349 for the two year Rosehearty Community Sailing Project will provide a range of sailing opportunities in Rosehearty and the surrounding area for. Four miles outside of Fraserburgh, Rosehearty has a sheltered bay which is ideal for beginners. The programme will run from June to September and be tide dependent but the boat building may continue throughout the year. 

Fischy Music will use a grant of £40,160 to run a support project for young people in Edinburgh who are affected by parental substance misuse. The Improving Confidence in Children Affected by Parental Substance Misuse project will offer musical therapy, creative activities and emotional support to young people aged eight to 11 years old. Fischy Music will work with Sunflower Garden and use qualified and experienced therapists and musicians to reach different groups of young people over two years. The effect of parental substance misuse on young children can be severe and those affected often have no emotional support while many experience difficulties with communication, friendships and self-confidence. The project will enable participants to take part in creative activities, specifically writing and performing music. They’ll be encouraged to understand and accept their feelings, express themselves, and increase their self-confidence.

All projects to receive funding in your area

For more information regarding this release please contact:
Frances Chisholm, Communications Officer
Big Lottery Fund Scotland
0141 242 1458 | frances.chisholm@biglotteryfund.org.uk

For more information on Big Lottery Fund Scotland (including programmes and grants awards):
Visit the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland
Ask Big http://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk/help/scotland
Or call Big Advice Scotland: 0300 1237110

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 Big Lottery Fund has confirmed a grants budget of £3.7m to 31 March 2012 and an indicative budget of £5.2m for 2012/13. This gives an estimated total grants budget of £8.9m to 31 March 2013.  It should be noted that the 2012/13 figure is a median projection and may go down or up.
• The Big Lottery 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 June 2004 It also uses its expertise in grant-giving to distribute non-Lottery funding. Full details of the BIG funded programmes and grant awards in Scotland are available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/scotland