Funding will keep Aspire running for three more years
A project which aims to boost teenagers’ selfesteem and broaden their horizons has been given a three-year funding boost.
Renfrew YMCA has been given £29,946 from BBC Children In Need to continue running its successful Aspire project.
Aimed at 14 to 16-year-olds, the project is now in its third year and the money will help it continue for another three years.
Samantha Gillan, manager of Renfrew YMCA, is the brains behind the project and said the money will make a big difference.
She explained: “It’s great because this is our third time we’ve been awarded Children in Need funding and, unlike the other times, this is three-year funding rather than for one year, which means we can plan for the future.
“Every year a new group takes part in the project. It starts with 12 weeks of informal learning and confidence building and self esteem.
“Something like going to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which seems so normal, but for a young person who’s never been out of Renfrew to pick up the phone and book a hotel room or a bus and stick to a budget, there’s a big learning curve there.”
The project is run by the young people, so they decide what to do.
“Last year’s group went to see pop-rock act The Vamps, which would be a great night out for any teenage music fan, but Samantha pointed out there were other aspects to the experience.
“It’s not always about learning, it’s about experiencing something new,” she said.
“Some of the young people had never been to a concert before and others had never been to the Hydro.
“Planning the night, getting to the venue, organising tickets and budgeting for things like drinks when we’re there were all up to the young people.
“A lot of times the staff sometimes take over organising these things. If they got the bus times wrong and we were late, then that was up to them.”
Some of the young people have left school with no qualifications, but after taking part in the yearlong Aspire project have gone on to college. Others have found the confidence to do public speaking after working with Renfrew Speakers Group.
As previously reported in the Express, Paisley YMCA has also been given £28,350 from the BBC Children in Need charity to support digital and technical workshops.
Karen Bradley, national officer of Scotland for BBC Children in Need said: “Our small grants Driving to success New experience programme is a great example of money delivering a big impact on a local level, and we’re delighted to award Renfrew YMCA and YMCA Paisley as they work to make a difference to disadvantaged young lives in the area.
“We’re always looking for quality applications for our Small Grants programme and, with a recent refresh to our strategy, we are now able to support projects for longer, helping us maximise the impact.
“If your project is working with disadvantaged children and young people, we encourage you to get in touch and find out more.”
To find out more on how to apply for funding, go to bbc.co.uk/ pudsey/grants Confidence building The teenagers took part in a self-defence class