A fund that supports young people to create, design and deliver projects in Renfrewshire is accepting expressions of interest before opening for new applications later this month.
The Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund aims to make the area a better place for young people to live, giving young people aged between 12 and 25 a voice in their community and a chance to shape how life in Renfrewshire will be for them in the future.
Last year, more than 45 successful projects were awarded funding, including access to industry standard recording studio equipment, alcohol and drugs awareness training for young footballers, and free tennis sessions for school pupils.
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The fund is facilitated by Renfrewshire Council’s Community Planning and Community Learning and Development teams who support a steering group of young people. The group represent the voices of young people across Renfrewshire and provide an essential role in shaping the guidance for the fund each year.
Anyone aged 12 to 25, or groups who work with that age group, can apply to one or several of the seven Local Partnership areas for up to £3,500. Each application must meet at least one of the five priorities.
The priorities for 2025 are:
Reducing isolation and improving mental and physical wellbeing
Cost of living
Employability and life skills
Substance use and addiction
Violence and staying safe
This year, the Steering Group are asking all organisations wishing to apply to Celebrating Renfrewshire to sign up to attend a support session ahead of submitting their applications.
These will be held online on Monday 14, Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16, and Monday 28 April. Application forms will be sent out following the sessions. Visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/CelebratingRenfrewshire to sign up.
If you are unable to attend a session but still wish to apply to the fund, please get in touch with the team directly at celebratingren@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
Renfrewshire Council’s Young Person’s Champion, Councillor Bruce MacFarlane, said: “Celebrating Renfrewshire gives young people a real opportunity to have a direct say on what they would like to see in their communities.”
“Young people are central to the success of Celebrating Renfrewshire and it is their ideas that are voted on by other young people who decide what to take forward to make Renfrewshire a better place to live.
“I would encourage anyone who has an idea, no matter how big or small, to get in touch with the team who will be more than willing to help.
“I am looking forward to working with this years steering group and seeing what proposals are brought forward.”
Once applications close, young people will be able to vote for their favourite projects. Successful projects will be awarded funding as part of the participatory budgeting process.
