Grant Success – Youth Work Education Recovery Fund
With a challenging financial position during COVID in 2021 as well as a challenge for society as a whole we looked at how we could maximise Pinkston’s survival and our contribution to COVID recovery. A new Scottish Government Fund, the Youth Work Education Recovery Fund was announced and looked a perfect fit. We could offer a wide range of programs that supported young people and youthwork, and also secure grant income while society was recovering from COVID. A small team of voluntary trustees investigated and developed a details proposal and submission which the assessment panel approved, offering £40,000 of funding towards our proposed activities.
After the euphoria of the award came the delivery! We ran an incredible 2 week Positive Destinations program for young people from local schools, we offered 100 sessions to local youth groups and uniformed organisations, we built on our existing youth club to start a 2nd youth club for an older age group. We ran fully subsidized Easter and Summer camps for young people from local postcode areas.
The evaluation of these programs forced us to make a step change in our evaluation methods, a huge amount of work which continues to support our operations and our ongoing success. The work done in the activities delivered as part of this grant continue to support and guide what we do. I am sure the grants panel that made the award in 2021 will feel they made the right choice.
As an added bonus Jo Airey was recruited to deliver the YWERF program, leading to her eventually becoming of CEO and a major driving force at Pinkston.