Young People across Moray showing us how PB is done!

Following on from a successful pilot event in Speyside, Moray YP Decide has been on a mammoth task to carry out 7 PB events across the local authority for children and young people aged 5-25, but it has been a huge success!

The delivery of the project has been carried out by young people supported by a partnership approach between Moray School Bank, Tsi Moray, Young Scot and the Moray Council Engagement Team.

Hundreds of young people have applied for funding for their projects from primary schools, high schools, community groups, individuals and charities. The success of the project has been amazing. The young people have had an amazing experience delivering the project, one of them from Buckie described it as 'making me feel unstoppable'.

The project has seen events taking place in Lossiemouth, Buckie, Keith, Elgin North, Elgin South and soon to be carried out is Milnes and Forres.

The voting at all events was digital with the support of Young Scot's digital platform and so far we have engaged over 520 voters to the showcase events with a total of 3,472 voters in total making a total of 11,777 individual preferences. This is a significant response for young people and it shows that young people do want to take part in decision making in their community.

The young people have shared a total of almost £35,000 among 79 different projects across 5 categories, advancing education, relieving poverty, community, arts/amateur sport and promoting health.

The young people feedback that 'participating in the project has been amazing' and that it was 'great to be able to vote'

Delays due to school commitments have meant that the two final events are still to take place, awarding the final £15,000 taking the total given out to the projects to £50,000.

Moray School Bank chairperson, Debi Weir said 'I has been an amazing project, I have been just blown away by the projects and ideas brought forward by young people. From friendship benches, calculators, dyslexia books, chanters to teach piping to dancing equipment and supporting charities, the list is endless and the 79 projects mean that the impact will be spread far and wide across the local authority for children and our communities. Community Choices funding has made a huge difference to our young people in Moray'