Youth Programme Seeks Planning OK
Aberfeldy-based Highland Perthshire Youth Initiative (HPYI) has lodged a planning application with P&K Council for a change of use from shop to Youth Services/Youth Work Partnership Centre. If the application to support 11-19 year olds is successful it would be located at 13-15 Bank Street, Aberfeldy, at the former “Gifts and Gowns” premises.
David Graham, Youth Development Worker with the Initiative said: “We have been working steadily towards this objective for sixteen months with a group of young people whom we first contacted as they were leaving Primary 7 at Breadalbane Academy.
“Presently they are in S2 and are continuing to attend meetings, manning stalls, going on study visits and having lots of fun along the way. Now, like the adults they have worked and talked with, they are keenly looking forward to a positive result from the planning authorities. We are all keen to prepare the premises in the New Year for a grand launch”.
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Goals
The proposed development is to carry out youth work in partnership with parents, volunteers, agencies and community groups to support mainly 11-19year olds. This would be with advice and information on such as health education, and careers advice from various youth services. It would also provide supervised, structured activities and projects with access to new technology.
In addition, it would supply light, healthy snacks - particularly at lunch times.
The premises would be open Monday to Friday, largely - but not exclusively - at lunch times and from 4.00-8.00p.m.
David Graham continued: “If approved, our Youth Information/Project Centre will be a cherished and locally managed facility not only for Aberfeldy, but as a Youth Resource for communities further afield. Folk in Aberfeldy have been working on this for two or three years, patiently undertaking the vital preparatory work to help secure successful grant applications. We are now ready to go with whatever level of funding we receive”.
“We will need a fair amount of voluntary support from parents and others to help this investment in our young people achieve it’s full potential”
Projects’ Programme
Highland Perthshire Youth Initiative is mainly developing projects around the desires of the young people already on board and, more generally, on young peoples’ interests in music, radio and the arts. HPYI currently has several grant applications outstanding including a joint bid with Pitlochry Youth Projects to the Scottish Arts Council for a musical instrument and song writing tuition scheme.
It has also applied to Awards for All for music and radio programme equipment for use by youth groups throughout Highland Perthshire, in a development with Heartland FM. Work is proceeding to enable the Aberfeldy Radio Studio in the Locus Centre to be fully commissioned in the New Year for the first Youth programme to be made locally and broadcast on Heartland FM.
The Youth Initiative will make use of Aberfeldy Town Hall for its larger and noisier activities and is working with Perth and Kinross Council to secure a base there. Dance projects, gigs and other activities are in the pipeline.
David can be contacted at his base in the Locus Centre, The Square, Aberfeldy. Telephone 01887829746 or youth@hpcp.co.uk
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