Inverness community invited to apply for their share of £30k in bid to improve local neighbourhood
New £30,000 project seeking to build safer communities with local people and increase involvement in decision-making in Inverness has been granted.
“Your Place – Your Point” is an initiative by Merkinch and South Kessock Community ActionGroup and aims to empower local groups to pitch for funds to support activities and learning programmes which will positively impact children, families and young people in the community.
The project is being run by the Highland Community Planning Partnership, Highland Third Sector Interface, Youth Highland, Scottish Community Development Centre and Police Scotland.
All the organisations are working together on an approach called 'Participatory Budgeting' which is set to give the people of Inverness a say over how they spend £30,000 in the area.
The initiative, called Your Place, Your Point, has been funded by Highland's share of the Scottish Government's Whole Family Wellbeing Fund. The Scottish Government has also contributed funding towards the meaningful participation of young people, supported by Youth Highland, throughout the process.
This project aims to improve local democracy, ensuring that communities are more engaged with decision-making to improve safety and wellbeing.
Youth Highland have been working with young people in the area over the last year to understand more about their feelings about where they live. A wide consultation was carried out which saw nearly 500 children and young people participate; sharing their views about a range of topics.
Through this, young people raised their concerns as to what they need in their community to grow up loved, safe and respected.
The project will be running throughout summer 2024 and a steering group made up of local people from the community to help has been recruited. Those in the group will design many aspects of the project as it moves forward to ensure Your Place, Your point is designed with and for local people.
The fund is now open for applications, with groups and organisations invited to share their plans to support young people and families in Merkinch and South Kessock.
Following initial checks, applicants will be invited to present their plans to the community at the Participatory Budgeting event on September 7, 2024, at Merkinch Community Centre.
The funding criteria will seek to resource activities and projects which are aligned to six priorities that children and young people have identified as being important to them. These include a wider range of activities and learning programmes, access to safe spaces and trusted adults, youth-led initiatives and activities and services which reduce harm and risk-taking.
For more information about this opportunity or to apply, visit Police Scotland’s website.
