Council / New forum would allow youngsters to have ‘meaningful discussion’ about issues affecting them
A FORUM which would allow Shetland’s young people to discuss issues affecting them with councillors and other public organisations is being planned.
To kick start things Shetland Islands Council’s children’s services department has applied for a £100,000 grant from the recently established Crown Estate fund.
The total cost of the project would be around £170,000, and there is a hope it would start in April and run until 2023.
Elected members will consider the funding application at a meeting of the full council on Wednesday.
A report due to be presented to councillors says the forum would “ensure young people’s rights and participation are embedded on a local level”.
If the Crown Estate fund application is approved, the money would go towards staff costs, training, promotion and engagement activities and events.
The report adds that young participants will be remunerated.
At the moment Shetland’s two members of the Scottish Youth Parliament are invited to attend the council’s education and families committee.
A funding application of around £99,000 has also been submitted to the Crown Estate Fund for upgrades and modernisation of the Lerwick Legion.
The Royal British Legion aims to upgrade the building to “increase footfall and make it a more family friendly, comfortably and enjoyable place to be in”.
The work would include upgrading heating, flooring, and toilet facilities in addition to installing a WiFI network.
A funding application for £87,800 has also been submitted for a feasibility study and business plan for a family-based, paid-for regulated care scheme in Shetland.
In this scheme the paid ‘Shared Lives’ carer would provide the care and support required from within their own home, sharing their home and family life.
Councillors will also consider these applications on Wednesday.
Four recent Crown Estate funding applications have also been approved by council officers, as requests under £50,000 can be dealt with without the need to go to the council chamber.
Wild Skies Shetland, an Unst-based charity which aims to showcase the local skies through exhibitions, site maps and accessible apps, has received nearly £45,000.
The funding will be used for the initial phases of the Wild Skies interpretation project, which will include work to create a viewing shelter in Unst.
A project to enhance engineering workshop facilities at the NAFC Marine centre in Scalloway received just over £40,000.
The Burra & Trondra Community Minibus Association secured just under £27,000 to extend and upgrade the premises which houses its minibus.
Finally, the Seafield Seafront Trust received just shy of £22,000 for its project to revamp the Seafield seafront area in Camb, Yell and bring it under community ownership.
The new grant aid scheme is financed from net revenues generated by the Crown Estate assets in Scotland after the powers to distribute some of the organisation’s revenues was devolved to local authorities.
Shetland Islands Council, which administers the fund, had been allocated £2.3 million over the last two financial years.
The scheme is open to charities, community organisations, social enterprises and other community or public bodies, and it can provide grants of between £10,000 and £100,000.
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