Young people decide how funding is spent in East Ayrshire

Over 730 young people have been deciding how money should be spent locally on projects that are important to them.

Pic - East Ayrshire Council

This was all part of the Participatory Budgeting (PB) process, which is about local people making decisions about budgets that directly affect them. East Ayrshire Council’s Vibrant Communities applied to the Scottish Government’s Community Choices fund for money to run PB events linked to the Health and Social Care Partnership. As 2018 is the Year of Young People, it was agreed that half of the funding should be allocated to events for young people. The young people’s executive group was approached to set up a steering group to take the process forward, and six young people volunteered to be part of the group which met, supported by Vibrant Communities staff, to agree criteria, dates, event types and voting systems. The steering group decided that bids had to be made by young people but that projects could cover any that involved young people. They also decided that the voting age should be eight and above, which allowed adults to have a say in the process too. Events were held in Bonnyton, Cumnock, Drongan and Stewarton, and in total, 34 projects shared £60,000. Children’s Champion Depute Provost Claire Leitch said: “I’m so pleased that the young people were given this incredible opportunity to decide where and how the funding should be used. All of the successful projects represent the very wide range of interests that our young people have and I wish each project every success with their extra funding.” Successful projects in Kilmarnock area: 37th Ayrshire Scouts – Go Wild Park School – Cafes 56: Helping the Homeless Connecting Voices: We Care …. About Homeless People Scottish Fire & Rescue Fire Fighter Cadets- 2018 Projects with the community Barnardo’s Youth Service EA Families 4ward2gether – Diversity for Young People Kilmarnock YMCA – New Adventures Bonnyton Community Centre – Community Centre Upgrade Active Graduates – Active Summer Camp Centrestage – White Cube Gallery Kilmarnock Youth Forum – Kilmarnock Community Fun Day Successful projects in northern locality: Stewarton Duke of Edinburgh Group – Gold Expedition to Italy Stewarton United – Alton Towers Tournament Senjokai Karate Club – 2018 club squad Sports Council – Gymnastics Extra Curricular Club Stewarton Academy S3 Tutorial Group Fenwick Primary School – Health & Wellbeing Committee Stewarton Youth Club – Healthy Lives Project Fenwick Primary Respecting Rights Committee – Introducing RRSA Young People – Days Out Darvel Youth Club – Youth Climbing Newmilns & Galston Brass Band – Making Musicians, Making Music Ayrshire Snowsports – Club Development Successful projects in southern locality: Auchinleck Primary School – P7 Leavers’ Project Drongan United – Grassroots Barshare Health & Wellbeing Group – Barshare Bolterz McRoberts Tae Kwon Do – Catrine Area Take Part Programme Police Scotland Youth Volunteers – PSYV Cumnock Auchinleck Community Development Initiative – Auchinleck Fun & Memories Hub Auchinleck Academy Enterprise Group – Uniform Recycling Netherthird Initiative for Community Empowerment- N Zone Children’s Fun and Fitness Club Auchinleck Intergenerational Group – Intergenerational Group/Time Capsule Dalmellington Band – Brass Academy Dalmellington HizKidz – Kidz Camp 2018