Funding kicks off Brechin group's reopening

Among other activities, Street Games offers weekly indoor football sessions at Brechin Community Campus. (Andy Thompson)

Brechin’s Street Games project is one of 12 successful schemes across the county to receive funding of more than £90,000 through Angus Council’s Power of Youth cash awards.

The organisation provides youth-led activities which provides support and advice for young people as well as offering a safe place to socialise, as well as a programme of street games outwith the winter months such as dodgeball, football and touch rugby.

It received £10,000 to help meet the cost of reopening its premises post-Covid.

The cash was allocated following a participatory budget process involving young people from across the county.

The process represents a different way of managing public money and enables people, in this case young people, to make the call on how public budgets are spent.

Those involved can play a part in the decisions that directly affect their lives and those of other young people in their communities.

Applications for the fund were invited from organisations delivering youth work programmes with and for youngster aged 11-18.

Local young people were then involved in a training-process and an Angus-wide youth panel to assess those applications against youth work priorities and criteria. As well as delivering on youth work outcomes, this year the fund aims to support young people most affected and disadvantaged by Covid-19, improve health and well-being outcomes and reduce the poverty-related attainment gap.

The fund was significantly oversubscribed, with 28 applications received with bids totalling more than £190,000.

A council spokesperson said: "The project demonstrates Angus Council’s commitment to participatory budgeting and is part of the core youth work funding through the Vibrant Communities Team.

“It helps to ensure that young people are directly involved in the decision-making process around youth work activity in Angus.”

Following the decision-making process, 12 successful applicants have received their grants. They include Skillz Academy, Arbroath; Montrose Rugby Club; DD8 Music in Kirriemuir and Vibrant Communities, an Angus-wide Outdoor Education Summer Programme

All unsuccessful projects have been offered support with future applications.