- Area:
- North East England
- Programme:
- Reaching Communities
- Release date:
- 19 3 2013
Young women and teenage girls who risk their health and futures by misusing alcohol will be the focus of a new project thanks to a £241,708 grant from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).
Bright Futures will work with 720 young women aged 11 to 25 in South Tyneside by encouraging a shift in attitude and behaviour towards healthy choices and positive activities at weekends and evenings. The money comes from BIG’s Reaching Communities programme which helps those most in need and builds stronger communities.
The project will educate the young women on the short and long terms effects of alcohol misuse, the risks to sexual health and aims to reduce teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
The project will provide activities evenings and weekends, when alcohol is being consumed on the streets, such as dancing, art, photography and cooking. The Reaching Communities award follows a £9,963 grant for a pilot project from BIG’s Awards for All programme in May 2012.
Project Development Worker, Nicola Common, said: “This significant grant from the Big Lottery Fund means that Bright Futures can now extend our reach across South Tyneside to make a real difference to the young women we will work with. Bright Futures has been working with a number of young women through our pilot project last year which was also funded by the Big Lottery Fund. The success of the pilot showed us that young women need appropriate education to enable them to make safe choices and informed decisions - particularly around issues relating to alcohol misuse.
“This grant will enable us to offer young women in South Tyneside safe and interesting things to do on evenings and weekends, the opportunity to take part in accredited programmes of work and work with others in the community as well as improved access to further education, training and employment.”
A project to prevent the onset or further development of mental health problems in vulnerable young people across the North East has received £118,090.
Community arts organisation Them Wifies, based in Newcastle, uses drama to engage with hard to reach young people to help them develop communication skills to aid social interaction and improve their confidence and self esteem. Workshops will address anger management, eating disorders, drug and alcohol misuse, bereavement and self harm.
Beneficiaries will be 13-19-year-olds living chaotic lifestyles including those not in education, employment or training, at risk of being homeless, engaged in antisocial behaviour, lone parents, those with low aspirations or suicidal thoughts.
A Northumberland project has received £390,070 to extend its support to families, children and carers of people who misuse substances. Escape Family Support Ltd currently supports people in South East Northumberland but this grant will mean its work will be extended to the rural west and north of the county. It will improve the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing of families and reduce the harm caused to children. This will be achieved through counselling, therapies, health education, budgeting and employment advice.
A new project by Best initiatives in Newcastle has received £295,531 to support black and minority ethnic children through an after school homework assistance programme to reach their educational potential and gain the skills and attributes to succeed in education, training and employment. Skills training and mentorship will also be provided to their parents to support their children while also improving their own employability skills including, CV writing, job search, sewing, hairdressing and hat making.
Finally, the West End Refugee Service in Newcastle receives £263,173 to continue an existing project to support asylum seekers and refugees, many of whom are traumatised by war, political persecution, torture, imprisonment, rape and bereavements which can take its toll on their mental health.
Big Lottery Fund spokesperson Tessa Wiley said: “Young people, particularly those from deprived areas, can misuse alcohol for a number of reasons – whether it is out of a lack of aspiration, little hope for the future or in a misguided attempt to relieve boredom in their lives. Bright Futures will steer young women in South Tyneside away from such risky behaviour and towards more positive activities to put them on a better path.
“All of the projects we have funded will help some of the most vulnerable people in the North East.”
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours media contact: 07867 500 572
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Ask BIG a question here: https://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk
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Notes to Editors
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG 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 BIG has awarded over £6bn.
• The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
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