Young people to have major role in spending £400,000

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council wants to give a major role to youth representatives in how to distribute more than £400,000 to benefit young people over the next two years.

The two Government funding streams, aimed at 13 to 19-year-olds, are the Youth Opportunity Fund, worth £108,021 each year, and the Youth Capital Fund, with £93,429 for each of the two years.

The opportunities are limitless, say the people who will be co-ordinating the overall running of the initiative.

Councillor Steve Kay, the council's cabinet member for education, said: "We want these funds to help change the way we and our partners provide activities and provision for young people.

"The whole process will give young people the chance to take on a variety of roles - as decision-makers, grant-givers, project leaders and project monitors and evaluators."

He added: "The strength of this initiative will be down to the inclusion and participation of partners and young people."

Am event has been organised to get the scheme up and running, to be held at Kirkleatham Museum at the end of the month, when youth organisations will be able to get more details on the project.

The council's principal youth officer, Rod Weston-Bartholomew said: "At this stage of the game, the groups that will be approached are already working in the youth provision arena. We are trying to make sure the young people come from as many different places and groups as possible.

"We want a focus on engaging young people from the more disadvantaged areas and from marginalised groups.

"The funds have been created as a result of the Youth Matters White Paper and respond to the record number of consultation responses from professionals and young people.

"The process will begin with an invitation event at Kirkleatham Museum, when we'll be asking young people to explore and begin to decide the best way for the funds to be managed and distributed."