Agenda item

To receive an update (to follow) from the Local Youth Network and to consider the following recommendations

·         To approve grant funding of £1500.00 to Take Over Day Pound Arts

·         To approve grant funding of £2000.00 to Corsham Cricket Club

·         To approve grant funding of £4000.00 to Green Rooms Youth Club

·         To approve grant funding of £12196.48 to Go Active

·         To approve grant funding of £5000.00 to Corsham Youth Zone

·         To approve grant funding of £5000.00 to Take Over Day Pound Arts

·         To approve grant funding of £4379.41 to Teenage Helpline

Emma Drage, Community Youth Officer, asked the Area Board to consider funding application recommendations made by the Local Youth Network (LYN). She informed Cllr Macrae, Cllr Tonge and Cllr Whalley that all applicants were present at the meeting and able to respond to any questions from the Councillors.

Miss Drage informed the meeting that there had been an error regarding the amount of money requested in the agenda for youth applications from the LYN. Number 1, ‘To approve grant funding of £1500.00 to Take Over Day Pound Arts’ was noted as being incorrect and was the amount requested for the previous year, a new request had been submitted for the new year and thus, this new amount of £5000, which was listed as number 6 required a resolution. Number 2, ‘To approve grant funding of £2000.00 to Corsham Cricket Club’ was also noted as being the amount requested for the previous year and thus, required no resolution. Number 3, ‘To approve grant funding of £4000.00 to Green Rooms Youth Club’ was again noted as being the amount requested for the previous year and thus, required no resolution.

Miss Drage highlighted that the Councillors on the Area Board were asked to consider the following applications only:

4.        To approve grant funding of £12196.48 to Go Active

5.         To approve grant funding of £5000.00 to Corsham Youth Zone

6.         To approve grant funding of £5000.00 to Take Over Day Pound Arts

7.         To approve grant funding of £4379.41 to Teenage Helpline

A representative from ‘Go Active’ explained how the requested grant money would be allocated. For 2 hours each week throughout the year young people would be able to participate in alternative sporting activities such as, archery. The activities would be grouped into year groups and it was highlighted that there were over 800 children who had registered an interest in participating in the activities. The Chairman noted his appreciation for the scheme and the provision of alternative sports that would be provided to young people on a long-term basis.

Cllr Whalley sought clarification over the remainder of money in the youth budget and this was confirmed by Miss Drage as being £14,241.19.

Concern was raised by a member of the public over how young people living away from the main Corsham Town area could take full advantage and participate in these activities. It was stated that activities had been arranged for after school hours, to ensure that young people could go straight from school to the activity and that the youth clubs in Corsham were well attended by young people who live both in Corsham and around the surrounding rural areas. A volunteer driver scheme had also been explored and would be established if the young people were found to be struggling to get home after activities, because of a lack of public transport.

Cllr Tonge informed the meeting that throughout the Corsham Campus discussions it had been made clear that there were not sufficient funds to provide additional public transport services. 

A representative from Corsham Youth Zone sought to provide further details on the grant application submitted. The Youth Zone was described as a safe area for young people to spend their leisure time and to be able to seek professional advice with their lives, if they so wished. It was also noted that the Youth Group would aim to help accommodate to the needs of the young people.

The Corsham Youth Joint was explained as a clubhouse that is run by young people, yet supervised by adults; it was depicted as a safe environment for young people, where individuals could participate in various activities and excursions. 

A survey which had been conducted by Ben Hayway, a local teenager, was highlighted: over 300 surveys had been distributed to the 1400 students in the Corsham area, with 71 students having expressed an interest in attending the Youth Club and thus, it was concluded that there was a high desire for the Youth Club in Corsham.

Cllr Macrae noted that Corsham had never had a Youth Club before, that the interior design of one of the rooms in the Springfield Campus had been designed by young people themselves and that it was hugely positive to hear contributions from young people at the Area Board. Miss Drage encouraged the meeting to visit the Youth Club, especially if those present felt that they could help with any volunteering roles.

Naomi Silverton responded to questions on behalf of the application from Take Over Day Pound Arts for £5000; she outlined that the project would run for the duration of 6 months and that it was designed to ensure that teenagers in Corsham would be included in the organisation of local events, i.e. Take Over Day. Two 17-year olds would co-chair the Committee and would be tasked with recruiting a team for the organisation of the event. Work and liaison with local schools and youth groups, as well as social media and printed marketing, would help to attract the event’s audience. The previous year’s project was noted as attracting an audience of 125 young people and 10 young people were stated as having worked on the project for 6 months.

Finally, a representative was welcomed from Teenage Helpline, to introduce the grant application. It was explained that Teenage Helpline was a service helpline for any young person who may need professional help. The helpline was described as a service that could help to guide and listen to young people. It was outlined that Teenage Helpline had been founded by a national charity; however, this new service would be piloted in the Corsham area.

The Chairman commented that he was a portfolio holder for safeguarding children and welcomed the representative from Teenage Helpline to discuss the project further with himself after the meeting.

The Chairman then thanked all the grant applicants for their applications.

Having been put to the meeting, it was;

Resolved to:

1.         Award £12196.48 to Go Active

2.         Award £5000 to Corsham Youth Zone

3.         Award £5000 to Take Over Day Pound Arts

4.         Award £4379.41 to Teenage Helpline