Young people get funding to do good - application details
Young people in Highbury East have an opportunity to bid for money to imrpove services they use - be it a local commununity group, sports team or arts project.
The Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) gives young people the chance to take decisions about the opportunities they would like to be available for themselves and other young people in Islington. The YOF has operated for the last 2 years and has been a great success. In 2008/9 about £300,000 will be available.
The Fund has helped with the purchase of sports and music equipment, provided funding for residential programmes away form Islington, enabled organisations to run new programmes and provided specific support to excluded groups in the community including disabled young people.
Cllr Laura Willoughby, who set up Listen Up, the project that young people lead to improve services in Islington said: “This is an excellent fund - get your imagination going, consult with friends and make sure you get what you need for your club or group.”
The YOF is not suitable for individual sponsorship or major capital works to premises. A separate process will run for capital based projects that will take into account the new resources for the borough from the Youth Capital Fund (£100,000), new council capital resources (£250,000), Youth Capital Fund Plus (£450,000) and an as yet unspecified amount through the Myspace programme.
This year there is a central application process that will manage £200,000 of the money available. Applications can be made now and at any time through the year as the young people’s panel will meet every month. A further £60,000 will be available through schools and an additional £40,000 in the 3 priority areas identified in the strategy: Barnsbury/Copenhagen, Finsbury Park/Tollington/Hillrise and Junction/St George’s.
Groups of young people can apply for as much money as they think they will need for their project. There is a DVD to explain and promote the scheme which has been widely distributed. The application form that needs to be completed is attached along with some FAQs. Further advice, support and information is available through Listen Up and the key contacts are rita.burrows@islington.gov.uk and anna.spivack@islington.gov.uk alternatively Rita or Anna are contactable on 0207 527 4511.
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