Valuable lessons for Welsh youngsters

Area:

Wales

Programme:

Young People's Fund Make it Happen

Release date:

17 1 2007

Two projects in South Wales, one in Bridgend and one in Pembrokeshire, share in the £7,840 awarded under the latest round of funding from the Young People’s Fund ‘Make It Happen’ programme, which awards grants of between £500 and £5,000 for projects, activities and equipment that helps make positive changes to the lives of 10–19 year olds in Wales. Since 2005, nearly half a million pounds has been awarded to 119 projects that have actually been planned and developed by the young people themselves.  

With the £2,840 they received, the Base 64 organisation in Goodwick, North Pembrokeshire, will run a special project to enable a group of young people to attend a residential weekend and take part in 'Baffa Baffa', a cultural awareness activity. Base 64 is a youth project for young people aged 13-18 and works with leading Welsh charity, Theatr Fforwm Cymru, to deal with issues faced by young people. The theatre forum sessions are based on real stories, real feelings and aim to make real changes to the lives of youngsters.

Delighted with the award, Phil Morris, one of the youngsters who worked on the application, commented: “The project will raise awareness about different cultures and demonstrate what happens when you put people from different cultural backgrounds together. Through various workshops and different activities, the project will highlight how various groups in society view each other, and will encourage us to gain a better understanding and appreciation of different cultures. In light of the tense political climate in parts of the world today, I think there are important lessons we can all learn.”

An award of £5,000 will allow the Youth of Bettws organisation in Bettws, Bridgend, to run a series of workshops covering healthy living, sexual health and substance missuse. The project will include a photography project that will culminate in a special exhibition, and will provide an opportunity for local youngsters to gain Open College Network qualifications in substance missuse and senior member training. The money will also fund a team building trip for the youngsters to an adventure facility.

Highlighting the importance of the Young People’s Fund, Big Lottery Fund Director in Wales, Ceri Doyle, said: “We have been very active in supporting young people in Wales over the years and I believe the Young People’s Fund is a real testament to our commitment to the further development of activities for youngsters throughout the country. These projects will have wide-reaching benefits for young people in the counties of Pembrokeshire and Bridgend.”

For further information about the projects, and contact details for the groups and organisations involved, please contact the Big Lottery Fund Wales press office by email or on the numbers below.

For further information about the Young People’s Fund and how your group can apply for funding, log onto the Big Lottery Fund website www.biglotteryfund.org.uk and use the ‘Wales’ specific search facility. Alternatively, you can telephone the Big Lottery Fund office on 01686 611 700.

Further information

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 02920 678 207
Out of hours contact: 07760171431
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone:  845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

• On 28 November the Big Lottery Fund (Prescribed Expenditure) Order 2006 completed its Parliamentary passage and came into force Friday 1 December at which point the National Lottery Distributors Dissolution Order 2006 also came into effect dissolving the National Lottery Charities Board (Community Fund) the New Opportunities Fund, and the Millennium Commission.
• The Big Lottery Fund - the biggest of the Lottery good cause distributors - has been the joint operating name of the New Opportunities Fund, the National Lottery Charities Board (which made grants under the name of the Community Fund) since June 2004.
• The Big Lottery Fund is building on the experience and best practice of the merged bodies to simplify funding in those areas where they overlap and to ensure Lottery funding provides the best possible value for money.

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