A group that helps young carers and excluded young people in Wiltshire has been awarded a £16,600 grant.

Youth Action Wiltshire (YAW) was one of numerous bidders for the latest round of Connexions voluntary and community service (VCS) awards and contracts for 2007/08, which together total over £202,000.

The organisation has won funding for two projects - respite sessions for young carers and a Getting Connected' training programme for young people on the margins of education and employment.

YAW already helps over 300 young carers across Wiltshire, some of whom are as young as five. The Connexions funding will help to run after school activity and respite sessions for young carers aged 13 to 19 as well as some weekend, day-long and residential courses during the school holidays.

The sessions will include sports, crafts, healthy living and general mentoring and support for young carers, who take responsibility for looking after a parent or relative at home.

YAW's Go 4 It' pilot project for 16-18 year olds is part of the national Getting Connected' curriculum supported by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and the National Youth Agency.

The curriculum consists of nine units accredited by national examination boards in areas such as coping with feelings, handling relationships, exploring risks, rights and responsibilities and getting and giving support.

Youth Action Wiltshire will trial the project with young people in the county with a view to improving their confidence and encouraging them back into learning or employment.

"Many young carers can be excluded from their own peer group or bullied at school because of the situation they are in," said Brendan Whyte from Youth Action Wiltshire.

"They can fall behind in education because of their caring role. Our respite sessions give them a break from all the pressures they are under and allow them to meet other young people, to have fun and to learn new skills.

"We also run many projects for young people not in education, employment or training and this new Go 4 It' project will help young people in this position to reflect on themselves and their role in the community.

"The funding for both projects is very welcome as we always need more to support our work.

"There are still many more young people across Wiltshire who need our help."

Other Connexions VCS awards for 2007/08 in Wiltshire include:

  • £4,960 to U-Too Community Business for a follow on parenting course for young mothers
  • £4,800 to British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) for a Millennium Gateway inclusion project for 13 to 15 year olds
  • £15,000 to Include for a mentoring and support project for young people not in education, employment or training
  • £15,000 to Relate Mid Wiltshire for the Talk Zone youth counselling service
  • £14,980 to U-Too for three Bump and Beyond accredited effective parenting courses
  • £15,000 to A2 Winchester for an enhanced learning programme at the Foyer in Salisbury for homeless young people
  • £12,606 to BTCV for an accreditation officer in Wiltshire
  • £10,000 for Kandu Arts for an engagement project with young people not getting on well at school
  • £8,460 to BTCV for a Project 18 course for unemployed young people aged 17-19 in North Wiltshire.

Connexions Interim Chief Executive Merfyn Williams said the Connexions VCS grants play a vital role in helping local organisations.

"Voluntary and community groups do some very good work with young people but often lack financial support.

"As an organisation that places multi agency working at the core of our service we are very pleased to be able to support local groups in this way and to show that we value the work they do."

Awards were decided by a multi agency panel, including teams of local young people.

The Gazette and Herald has launched Kev's Van Appeal to raise money for a new Youth Action Wiltshire van.

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