Vulnerable people and communities in Wales benefit from Awards for All

Young people at risk from loan sharks, children with special needs and homeless and unemployed young people are among the range of groups throughout Wales sharing in nearly £180,000 awarded from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) today.

A total of 48 community-based projects across Wales share in the £192,473 awarded under the latest round of the Awards for All small grants programme.

Young people aged 16 - 24 in Cardiff who are at risk of, or already borrowing from loan sharks and other unethical lenders, will have someone to turn to for advice and support thanks to the £4,900 awarded to the Fresh Ideals Community Interest Company in Cardiff. Through the Young People’s Loan Workshop project, which will start in six weeks time, the group will offer peer mentoring for young people by young people.

The project will train 30 young people from the Butetown, Grangetown and the Riverside areas of the city as well as young people from the wider community, including students, to act as peer mentors. The advice clinics will be held once per week at Cardiff Central Library, with a morning and afternoon session seeing a minimum of eight people per day. Case studies and tips will also be made accessible through a website to other people suffering from the same problems. The project hopes this will be a model which can be rolled out across Wales.

Highlighting the need for the project, Mr Ashish Poddar, the Project Manager, said: "In the current financial climate, lots of people are finding it difficult to access mainstream finance, so we need to have practical solutions so that young people aren’t resorting to unethical lenders or loan sharks who charge extortionate interest rates. This project is here to help young people make good desicions about lending money and to help them get out of any financial difficulties they might find themselves in. It’s sending a message that young people can be at the heart of positive change."

A new after-school play scheme for children with special needs in Cardiff is also celebrating after securing a grant for £4,875. The Hollies Action Group After School Club will use the money to run Boccia sessions and Touch Therapy sessions for children attending the club based at The Hollies Special School in Pentwyn. Boccia is a sport played by athletes who require a wheelchair because of physical disability. After taking part in activities including rebound therapy, karate, holistic therapy, dance and movement, the sessions will be followed by a touch therapy session which will help the children to relax to the sound of soft music and sensory lights and toys.

Mrs Maria Carey is a Trustee and a Treasurer at the Hollies Action Group After School Club. Her 11 year old son, Jack, has autism and is already reaping the benefits of attending the club, which is gearing up to celebrate its first Birthday on April the 11^th this year.

"This funidng is a lifeline to keep the club going," said Maria. "Children with special needs aren’t able to access an afterschool club with services like this anywhere else in Cardiff. This project benefits children and young people with special needs and disabilities from all over the city. It provides them with an opportunity to take part in physical activities such as karate and what it’s done to some children’s confidence and physical health already has been amazing."

She added: "My son Jack has been coming here since day one and he’s able to express himself through dance. He wouldn’t be able to go to mainstream dance groups but here, he has the opportunity to have a go without everybody looking at him like he’s different."

The county of Denbighshire in North Wales benefits from three grants amounting to a total of £10,552. With their award of £2,719, the Friends of Cae Ddol organisation will deliver a community graffiti project. The Young Graffiti artists make a mark on their Skatepark project will hire a graffiti artist to work with the young people of Ruthin that use the skate park in the town to create a mural along the sides and backs of the ramps. The artist will work with the young people over the course of a week during the school holidays to develop a theme with them and give them the opportunity to practice different styles. Finally, those involved will be able to transfer their sketches to areas of the skate park.

Mrs Nicola Kneale of Friends of Cae Ddol, said: "The young people will not only learn new skills but will also be able to work towards something that will be visible within the community for years to come."

"We believe that by providing this project, they will not only improve the appearance of their local area, but also provide the young people that live in Ruthin with a sense of ownership, achievement and belonging to their town."

Projects to support unemployed young people and homeless people take centre stage in Swansea. The Magnetic Footsteps group will spend the £5,000 they were awarded on running free music and public performance workshops with unemployed youths throughout the city. By providing hourly weekly workshops in various areas of Swansea, the group hope to get young adults motivated through music production and, in turn, increase their confidence and self esteem and help them gain teamwork skills and build links within the community. Due to get off the ground in March, the sessions will be open to anybody who wishes to attend but the group are mainly aiming to engage young disadvantaged adults who are unemployed. The project will be working closely with the youth and homeless centre who will make regular visitors aware of the workshops.

Mr John Sandberg, Chairman of the Magnetic Footsteps project, said: "I’m an avid musician myself and I know about the problems young people face these days. I hope to introduce young people to a new dynamic rather than seeing them turning to substance misuse and other destructive habits to fill their time. I hope this project will take some of the heat off the youth, who have had a lot of bad press recently following the summer riots. I think those riots highlighted the lack of provision for youths in many of our communities."

He added: "By providing these workshops, we hope to reduce the numbers of youths hanging around on the streets and provide them with a project in which they can take an interest in and expand their own abilities. We feel that these individuals will benefit from increased self esteem and that this project will give them the confidence needed to actively seek employment and reduce the need to commit crimes."

With their award of £1,900, the Dinas Fechan Residents' Association in Swansea will provide a programme of social activities for people living in a hostel for homeless people The activities will include walking, climbing, archery, fishing and bowling and outings to places including the Museum of Welsh Life in St Fagan's and Cardiff Bay.

Ms Donna Davies, said: "All our residents have been homeless, most are unemployed and are often excluded from society. Many have lost confidence after a lifetime of working and others have experienced domestic violence, family breakdown, bereavement, poverty or substance misuse."

"This project will enable them to work together to alleviate their concerns and improve their lifestyles and lead to improved physical health and wellbeing and enable them to integrate into the wider community."

Gareth Williams, Awards for All Programme Manager for BIG in Wales, said: "Awards for All is having a positive impact throughout Wales. Money is helping to establish groups, societies and clubs, promoting learning, increasing volunteering opportunities and helping to build stronger communities."

Available in English and Welsh, the application form for the programme can be downloaded, completed and emailed direct to the Big Lottery Fund as well as being available in hard copy.

Application forms are available from www.awardsforall.org.uk or by phone on 0845 4 10 20 30.