Two young people’s projects from Castlederg are among the latest to receive Lottery cash in the most recent round of awards from “The Big Deal” Small Grants Programme.
“Off the Streets Football” project received funding to purchase equipment that will help make greater use of St Eugene’s High School football pitch. The project will be opened to other young people in the town and once a month they plan to organise a football game on a cross-community basis as a way of helping to overcome some of the tensions in the town.
Also a group of young women in the town received funding run the “Girl Power” project, a weekly session on personal safety using Karate as a way of learning about self defence and build confidence and esteem.
Details of the latest round of awards from “The Big Deal” Small Grants Programme have just been released and they show how young people from across Northern Ireland have been given Lottery cash to organise a wide range of activities to improve their future. Some 1800 children and young people will benefit from £82,000 paid out by The Big Deal to 40 projects across Northern Ireland.
The programme established last year, is administered by Youthnet with £1million of funding from the Big Lottery Fund. Through the programme children and young people up to 25 years of age can apply for an award of between £500 and £2,500 to run a project where they get to plan and decide what it is they want to do when, where and how.
Also, children and young people are involved in deciding which projects should get the awards and what the amounts should be. These young people, aged from nine to twenty three, are part of The Big Deal “Children and Young People’s Forum” and they have the say in determining where the awards should be spent.
Rosemary Trainor, 23, of the group, said, “The best thing about The Big Deal projects is that young people show the initiative, interest and enthusiasm to plan their own project and apply for the money to carry it out. This is a new way of young people getting money from the Big Lottery and it’s an exciting way for young people to have responsibility and make good use of it.”
The Big Deal Programme Manager, Joe Hawkins, said, “On the face of it £ 82,000 doesn’t sound like a huge amount of money. But the big bonus is that once children and young people become engaged in activities like these they tend to stay interested and get involved more in what’s going on around them in their local communities and beyond”.
Paul Cavanagh, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund’s Young People’s Fund Committee said: “The Young People’s Fund is a great way for young people to have their opinions heard and to influence what kind of activities are funded in their area. These grants being awarded today will allow young people to become more actively involved in their community and I am looking forward to hearing how the young people will make this Lottery money work for their benefit.”
Ends
The full list of projects that received an award is set out below.
If you want to know more about The Big Deal you can telephone 028 90331880;
HYPERLINK “mailto:joe@thebigdealni.com” joe@thebigdealni.com or visit their new web page HYPERLINK “http://www.thebigdealni.com/” www.thebigdealni.com
For further information please contact:
Joe Hawkins, The Big Deal Programme Manager
YouthNet, 5th Floor, 20 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8GD
Tel. (028) 9033 1880
Mobile. 07850 897 903
Fax. (028) 9033 1977
Notes to Editors
In March 2006 the Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, appointed YouthNet as an Award Partner under its Young People’s Fund programme. YouthNet is working in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund to distribute £4 million as part of the Young People’s Fund grant programme.
The Young People’s Fund grant programme has been created by the Big Lottery Fund, the joint operating name of the New Opportunities Fund and the National Lottery Charities Board (which made grants under the name of the Community Fund). The Big Lottery Fund, launched on 1st June 2004, is distributing half of all National Lottery good cause funding across the UK.
Big Lottery Fund Communications Amanda Doherty: 90551472 Out of hours contact: 07760 171434
NI Enquiries Line: 90551455.
Details of the Big Lottery Fund’s programmes and grant awards are available at: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.
Project name
Area
Project description
Amount awarded
Brownie Camp
Armagh
The 1st Glenanne Brownies are based in rural Armagh and are aged 8-11 years. They planned and organised a get-together over the Father’s Day weekend which included outdoor activities, cooking and crafts such as card making which were then used as gifts for their fathers and other family members on their return home.
855
Lake District Expedition
Armagh
“Expedition – Lake District” involves a group of 10 young people aged 16-21 from Mountnorris, Co Armagh. They will plan and organise a trip to the Lake District as part of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. The project will help enhance the young people’s leadership, co-operation and teamwork skills.
2500
The Pink Ladies
Ballymena
“The Pink Ladies” is a cross-community young women’s group from the north side of Ballymena. They plan to organise a number of programmes at the local youth club and bring in artists and speakers who will look at issues relevant to young women including sexual harassment, health and cross community issues.
2380
Young Womens Group
Belfast
The “Young Women’s Group” is a year long project in the Beechmount area of west Belfast. Twelve young women aged 17 & 18 will take part in a whole range of activities including drug, alcohol, suicide and self harm awareness. Other sessions will look at complementary therapies as a response to stress and managing personal health matters.
2500
Helping Youth get together
Belfast
“Helping Youth Get Together” is led by a group of 5 young people aged 18 and 19, from the Markets area of Belfast who plan to develop a ‘drop-in’ space for young people in the Challenge for Youth premises in the city centre. As part of the programme they will compile a set of useful resources for young people including details of various helpline and advice centres.
1723
Millennium Volunteers
Belfast
The “Millennium Volunteers” project involves a small group of young women from the Falls Women’s Centre in west Belfast. They planned and organised a residential activity weekend for other young women including canoeing and wall climbing and workshops on peer education and confidence building.
2435
GY Residential
Belfast
“Generation Y” (GY) is a group of mainly Chinese young people, aged between 11 and 16, who live in the greater Belfast area who organised a residential weekend to include outdoor activities and address issues such as sexual health and drug awareness.
2141
Dangers of Alcohol
Belfast
The “Dangers of Alcohol” project includes a sub-group of young people from the Belfast Youth Forum who plan to make a short documentary highlighting the dangers of alcohol. They will then organise a launch of the film and distribute it widely to help other young people make informed choices about alcohol.
2500
Youth Outreach Drama
Belfast
“Youth Outreach Drama” is based in the Markets area of Belfast and involves 30 children and young people. They plan to produce a play on issues affecting young people which they will perform at the end of August in a local Hall.
2500
GY Graffetti
Belfast
“GY Graffiti” project will involve a series of workshops led by 2 graffiti artists who will assist the young people to explore themes such as cultural identity and diversity and the impact of racism. The graffiti will be painted on large boards which can be used for future exhibition purposes.
2500
The Comanches
Belfast
“The Commanches” is a group of young people from Clarawood in East Belfast who will take part in an Ocean Youth Trust sailing trip as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award.
2400
Off the Streets Football
Castlederg
“Off the Streets Football” is based in Castlederg, county Tyrone. They plan is purchase equipment and make use of the local high school pitch a couple of evenings per week for a game of football which will be opened to other young people in the town. Once a month they plan to organise a game on a cross-community basis as a way of helping to overcome some of the divisions in the town.
2365
Girl Power
Castlederg
“Girl Power” is based in Castlederg, county Tyrone. A group of young women in the town have got together to plan and recruit other young women in the town to join a weekly session on personal safety using Karate as a way of learning about self defence and build confidence and esteem.
2337
Kidz Mania
Claudy
“Kidz Mania” is a project based in the village of Claudy. It will involve a group of 25 children aged 11+ who decided to do something for themselves to reduce “boredom” over the summer holidays. They have planned a series of activities that will take place in the local Diamond Centre or in neighbouring Derry and Limavady – including a Fun Day with a bouncy castle, face painting and a BBQ.
2400
Beachfest 07
Coleraine
The “Beachfest” project involves a group of young people from the local Youth Council who are helping to stage a music event in the Riverside Theatre in July. They hope some 300 people will turn up to what they describe as “a showcase” where up to nine local bands will perform.
2500
The Cool Club
Craigavon
“The Cool Club” is part of the Zero-8-Teen club in Brownlow, Craigavon. The children’s council came up with the idea for “Cool Club” project and are planning a series of drama, dance, music and signing activities which they will rehearse and perform to parents/carers then capture the experience on DVD.
2427
Drumellan Summer Scheme
Craigavon
After consulting and voting on a range of activities, children from the Drumellan area of Craigavon helped plan a series of summer activities. As well as planning a series of fun trips that will involve up to 60 children, the project will help build confidence and develop the children’s co-operation and team working skills.
2500
Young and Old
Derry
“Young & Old” involves a group of 10 young people aged between twelve and fifteen from the Bogside area of Derry who are planning a 10 week programme to learn more about the history of their area and what it was like to grow up in a different century.
2222
Cornshells Time out
Derry
“Time Out” is a project based in the Cornshell Fields housing estate in Derry. Following consultation with other young people in the area a series of activities is planned including outdoor pursuits, DJing sessions, hip hop dance classes, recreational visits and a mural.
2500
Brookdales Busy Bees
Derry
“Brookdale Busy Bees” involves a group of 16 young people aged between 13 and 16 years from the Galliagh area who want to organise activities for themselves for the summer including a 3-day summer camp.
2500
Friendship through Art
Draperstown
The “Friendship Through Art” project came from an 11 year old pupil in St Mary’s PS in Draperstown who asked other children in the school playground about her idea and gained support from other pupils and teachers for a 10 week art club. During the programme the children will look at a range of themes and then make art works inspired by their discussions.
1514
Outdoor Pursuits Activities
Dungiven
The “Outdoor Activities Project” was made by an 11 year old girl who has a family member who is deaf and as such she is part of the deaf community. She plans to hold an event at the end of August when she and other young members of the deaf and hearing community will be able to meet, have some fun and learn some new sign language.
500
Playground Improvement
Lisburn
“The Playground Improvement Project” is based in Joseph’s Primary School, Lisburn. The Project is all about improving the school’s playgrounds to help make sure that a wide range of activities are provided which will engage and involve all the children in the school community.
2400
RPM (Real Project Mgt)
Lisburn
“RPM” stands for Real Project Management and is a project from a group of 6 young people who previously took part in a Lisburn YMCA training course on participation and project management which includes subjects such as planning, organising, negotiating and making decisions. The group plan to build on what they have learnt from the course and are organising a residential weekend for themselves and other young people aged 13-17.
2500
Super Saturdays
N’Ards
“Super Saturdays” came from the Pupils Forum in Londonderry Primary School, Newtownards. The forum plan to hold an activity one Saturday in each month which will help them “become more active, feel healthier and learn new skills”. Parents will also be encouraged to take part and get involved in the team building exercises with their children.
2450
Joining all Communities
Newcastle
“Joining all Communities” (JAC) is a project in Co. Down where young people from the local youth council will organise summer activities for children and young people in the Burrendale Estate in Newcastle as well as Castlewellan and Dundrum.
2470
Celebrating Difference
Newry
“Celebrating Difference Together” is a project which builds on work undertaken last year to develop greater understanding of people with different beliefs and from different cultures. It will involve a series of workshops to consider issues such as racial and sexual discrimination, culture and identity, and the effects of racism and bullying. The project is part of a bigger plan which will include a trip to London and Liverpool.
2500
Look Learn Laugh & Love
NI Wide
“Look, Learn, Laugh & Love” are the themes of work undertaken with Girlguiding Ulster’s Rainbow Guides. A group of children who take part in Rainbow Guides received funding to organise activities that will include the development of a simple nature trail, learning about road safety and equipment to take part in a range of directed play activities which promote the 4 themes.
2120
Portglenone Youth Initiative
Portglenone
The “Portglenone Youth Initiate” involves a group of 12 young people from the town who, supported by a NEELB Rural Outreach Worker, plan to hire film-making equipment, interview local people about what they think of the town, show off some of its history and set out what they would like to see in it in the future. When the film is complete the group will present it to local councillors, MLAs and other decision-makers to campaign for further resources for the town.
2200
Monkeynastics
Tobermore
“Tober Tinys Monkeynastix” was put forward on behalf of a group 23 children aged 3 to 4 in the Tobermore area by the local community playgroup. The project was all about helping to develop confidence, social skills and co-ordination whilst promoting physical activity and exercise.
