Elgin Youth Development Group got 'Out and About' to a wide range of community-based outdoor activities in Moray thanks to a £4,200 award from Bags of Help.

Youth Café staff worked with young people who don’t easily access holiday activities because of learning and physical disability, chronic illness, mental health, challenging behaviour or two working parents. The young people designed and costed their summer activity programme in the Youth Café and applied to Bags of Help.

The funding was used for adventurous outdoor activities and trips away including canoeing, climbing, high ropes courses, gorge swimming, kickboxing, ice skating, trampolining, furniture building, mountain biking, orienteering and a beach BBQ. These activities gave young people challenges in a supported environment - four girls, terrified of heights, managed to overcome their fears in rock climbing and high ropes, even surmounting an overhang!

"Trips away with young people can lay strong foundations for relationships with the youth café and the youth workers. The relationships we’ve built over the summer will be a first step for longer term engagement allowing us to provide them with consistent support in the future."

▬ Ailish, Youth Worker

Young women who showed low levels of confidence at the start of the holidays and went on to show more and more independence as the summer went on. Looked after young people, new to the café and about to begin secondary school, made friends with others who they would join after the holidays.

Key Facts

• Location: Elgin, Moray
• Project type: Youth Outdoor Activities
• Funding: £4,200
• Grantee: Elgin Youth Development Group
• Website: www.elginyouthcafe.org

• Download Out and About Elgin Youth Development Group Project here

Up to £2000 is available from Tesco Bags of Help to support a wide range of projects that benefit your local community. Tesco Bags of Help is administered by Groundwork working with greenspace scotland to support applicants and successful projects in Scotland.

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