A new £10,000 fund has been launched in Moray to support projects designed to help the region’s children and young adults.
Speyside YP Decide has been supported by the private family foundations of locals to fire the imagination of people aged between five and 25 years old – who are being encourage to devise their own projects.
The innovative participatory budget scheme will be the first of its kind in the region and will give the beneficiaries of the fund the chance to vote for which projects win up to £1,000.
Similar initiatives have been run in recent years, including Money for Moray and Bucks for Buckie, but the Speyside scheme will be the first to specifically target youngsters.
Project ideas are now being invited for on the themes of education, arts or amateur sport, community support, promoting health and relieving poverty.
Moray Council’s senior youth worker, Debi Weir, is leading the project and said the fund could open the doors for exciting projects.
She said: “I’m just delighted that the young people on Speyside will have the opportunity to learn about participatory budgeting – which will arm them with the skills and knowledge to take part in other projects.
“It’s really exciting that we can give our young people a voice and let them make decisions about their community, while also gaining funding for projects that they choose to create.
“It shows we value their contribution as part of our community and they will become the activists of our future.”
The fund will cover the Speyside High School catchment area and the deadline for bids is September 14.