Trust supports youth causes with grants

CENTRAL OTAGO/QUEENSTOWN LAKES

A FOCUS on youth means young people across Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago are among the largest beneficiaries of grants from the Central Lakes Trust through 2020.

For the year, grant recipients came from a crosssection of sectors, with operational and programme funding for 2021 receiving the largest share at $1.67 million of the total granted.

Youth — a sector reviewed and prioritised by the trust in 2019 received just under $1 million this year.

In what was the last grants round for 2020, the trust granted $1.8 million to 34 organisations throughout its coverage region with youthfocused organisations receiving more than $200,000 in the November round.

Trust grants manager Mat Begg said the trust had reviewed the youth sector last year to better understand the issues facing young people so grants benefiting youth received an increase in focus and funding.

‘‘This increased funding carries through in this round with youth being prominent in many of the grants.’’

November grants were approved to the four youth trusts working throughout the trust’s catchment.

Alexandra and Districts Youth Trust received $129,528 while $120,222 was given to the Cromwell Youth Trust.

The Kahu Youth Trust was granted $201,000, and $183,600 went to Wakatipu Youth Trust, and three trusts received multiyear grants that were approved for the next three years.

An additional grant of $30,000 was made to the Life Education Trust which received another multiyear grant to deliver its educational programme to primary and intermediate school pupils in its catchment.