Young people in Islington are getting the chance to pitch for up to £20,000 to fund a youth project of their choice.
Funderstorm - a new initiative launched by Islington Council's Listen Up team this week - aims to use social media and exciting game show events to engage young people in helping to manage budgets and make decisions that will shape the future of Islington services on offer to young people.
A total of over £400,000 is available for Funderstorm projects in 2010-2011, made available from the Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF). Funderstorm is thought to be the largest project of its type in the UK, where young people design and vote on projects they think should receive funding.
The launch event for Funderstorm held at Islington Town Hall, saw over 50 young people aged between 13 and 19 come together to discuss and vote on their local priorities, as well as showcase projects that have received YOF funding in previous years. The priorities raised - which were discussed with a panel of judges - included the need for more activities aimed at girls and role models for young people in the care system.
The judging panel was made up of young people and adults with experience of running projects and making a positive change in Islington. They offered support and feedback on some of the potential youth projects suggested by young people. Council Leader, Cllr Terry Stacy and executive member for children and young people, Cllr Paula Belford were also part of the panel. Cllr Belford said:
"Funderstorm is all about getting young people involved in decision making and empowering them to play an active and positive role in their communities.
"With elections approaching, it's more important than ever that young people have some understanding of and take an interest in how the democratic process works. Funderstorm follows a voting process that means young people have their say about the youth services that are important to them in Islington.
"I was impressed by the quality of discussion and ideas, not to mention the passion and enthusiasm shown by the young people at the launch event. I'm looking forward to reading the bids for funding when they are submitted, and to watching these developed into live projects later in the year."
At the end of the launch event, the audience voted for their favourite youth project ideas. These included a gym for young people, a fashion show that all ages could help to put together, a borough crossover project and an improved system for transporting young people to and from youth activities.
A group of 15 young people from Islington have been trained to host discussions around the priorities raised at the launch event in schools and public places around the borough in the next few months. Along with teachers and youth workers, they will help young people to work up proposals for youth projects that they think will best address the priorities. All proposals will be submitted online, giving young people the chance to view and comment on them.
A shortlist of projects will be selected in May and in June and young people will vote for the projects they most want to see developed at a series of decision making game shows.
Johanna, 14, a student at Mount Carmel School took part in the launch event and also received money from YOF last year to organise horse-riding lessons for an Eritrean youth group. She said:
"Events like this give you a chance to see what other young people are interested in. Young people need to get interested in organising projects now, so they can learn how to be independent and not leave it all to the adults."
The Funderstorm launch event and was organised with the help of The People Speak, an organisation that brings people together to have discussions, play and make decisions in fun way and creative ways.
ENDS
Page Last Updated: 05 March 2010