Wokingham

Wokingham District Council’s youth service has been busy over the summer ensuring that young people are involved in deciding how the Youth Opportunity Fund is allocated and local groups now have just over two weeks to get their bids in for the latest round of bidding.

The new Wokingham grant system is used to deliver more things to do and places to go for young people aged between 13 and 19 years. This innovative grant scheme places trust in young Wokingham people who have the responsibility to decide what activities they need and they will allocated funds for submitted projects. The young people in the Wokingham district have been allocated £147,000 each year for the next two years.

A group call Y10 has taken on the task of managing the Youth Opportunity Fund. Y10 is a group of young people from across the Wokingham district, supported by the district council’s youth service, who are interested in encouraging everyone in the community to have a say. Led by Wokingham youth MP Michael Burgess and deputy youth MP Hattie Stockley, Y10 has recruited a number of young people from across the district to work together to decide how to allocate these funds.

Although an adult signatory is required on all application forms as the signatory on the bank account the grant is to be paid into, the whole grant process is designed to be led by young people. Any forms, which Y10 receive that they feel have been written or led by adults they will investigate further by interviewing the young people named on the application form. Letters signed by Y10 chairman and youth MP Michael Burgess go out to all the successful young applicants and the group plans to allocate one Y10 member to each successful grant to monitor its progress.

Work started back in June, when the group developed criteria that groups must meet to qualify for funding as well as user-friendly application forms. Both of these can be found on the council’s website at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/youthservice.

The group has also received training on how to assess applications, as well as how to consider evaluation of the projects. All projects need to meet one or more of the five themes set by Y10: be healthy, stay safe, enjoy life / learn skills, contribute to society and achieve economic well-being.

Despite the short timescale, Y10 piloted this new scheme by allocating £12,000 for some eight grants for summer holiday activities. Projects ranged from a churchyard clear up, refurbishment of a youth club, music project and development of a cricket project.

A group of young people from Shinfield were successful in bidding for funds to refurbish their youth club. The parish council, which owns the building, has just completed an internal redecoration. With money awarded, members of the youth club were able to replace furniture and buy new equipment to get the club ready for reopening in September. The young people were involved in costing the project as well as debating activities for the autumn term, including what equipment and resources would be needed.

Young people from Lower Early made a bid for cricket equipment whilst a group of young people from Wokingham, who organise the annual youth service pop idol contest, has been working with staff at Wokingham Youth Centre to develop a dance and music project. They were successful in achieving funding for stage and amplification equipment for their new Monday evening arts, dance and music group.

Another project to benefit was Silverdale Cycles, the community cycle project based at Silverdale Youth Centre. The young people who run the project said much of their equipment was worn out and formed a proposal to modernise the room and equipment as well as train more young people to help take the project forward over the coming year.

Michael Burgess, youth MP and the chair of the grant- giving panel, said: “This is a real chance for us to make things happen for ourselves. We want to get the news out to all young people and especially those who don’t have activities to do at present. If you haven’t got someone to help you with the application then contact the youth service and they will get someone out to help you with your ideas and the application. I want to see all the money spent so get applying now.”

Wokingham Cllr Malcolm Bryant, champion for youth and leisure, said: “This is a fantastic project for the young people to get their teeth stuck into and expand the range of activities that are on offer in the Wokingham district. This influx of money should help us to greatly improve youth facilities throughout the district and this project is about empowering young people and giving them more choice and influence over provision and facilities in their area. I very much look forward to hearing their ideas.”

The deadline for the next round of applications is Friday September 29 and applications will also be considered throughout the year. Applications will be welcome from any group of young people aged 13 and 19 which will improve things to do and places to go in the Wokingham district. Wokingham Cllr Bryant added: “Young people have just over two weeks to get their bids in. If you think something is lacking in your area, then pick up an application form from your local youth centre and get bidding!”

Wokingham District Council