Decision details

To allocate the positive activities funding as set out below :

1.           Positive Activities Grants

1.1         Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) has agreed to invest £50k in each of the six Gloucestershire districts in 2017-18. This funding is to be used to help voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations provide positive activities for young people.

1.2         The overall outcome of the funding is as follows:

Young people across Cheltenham have access to a wide range of places to go and things to do, delivered through high quality and effective youth work practice enabling positive outcomes for young people.

1.3         We aligned the outcomes for the positive activities fund to the Cheltenham Youth Strategy document that was agreed by Cheltenham Partnerships in 2016 following consultation with the Cheltenham Youth Work Network.

1.4         We requested that applications for funding that would deliver improved outcomes for young people aged 11-19 in at least one of the three following areas that reflect the outcomes for partnership working in Cheltenham.

Supporting young people to feel safe

1.5         We want to support youth work provision that is giving young people the skills, confidence and support to lead safer lives. This provision should reduce the risk of young people engaging in, or being the victims of anti-social behaviour, substance misuse, criminal damage and teenage relationship abuse.

Developing the emotional resilience of young people

1.6         We want to support youth work provision that is giving young people the skills, tools and support to increase their emotional resilience and improve their mental health, thereby reducing the number of young people getting into crisis.

Building positive relationships with the community, supporting young people to recognise the role they play and the skills they can contribute

1.7         We want to support youth work provision in Cheltenham that is promoting the merits of positive behaviour and community responsibility that is supporting young people to enjoy and sustain their formal and informal education thereby reducing a risk that young people might not meet their potential.

1.8         Cheltenham Borough Council led the allocation process and the grant scheme went live from in October 2017 and was publicised through Gloucestershire Rural Community Council, media releases and information on the council’s website. The closing date was 5.00pm Monday 4^th December which gave applicants an 8 week period to submit applications.

1.9         The formal assessment panel, comprising Angela Gilbert from Gloucestershire Rural Community Council, Cllr. Flo Clucas, Cabinet Member for Healthy Lifestyles, Tracy Brown Partnerships Team Leader and Richard Gibson, Strategy and Engagement Manager met on Thursday 7^th December to assess the applications and make recommendations to the Cabinet Member. The total funding requested was nearly £81,000. Due to a conflict of interest, Angela Gilbert left the room for the discussion about the applications from Gloucestershire Rural Community Council and Gloucestershire Mentoring and Support.

1.10      The panel made a number of recommendations about the funding that are shown in appendix 2. The total value of funding recommended for allocation is £47,700.

1.11      I have therefore agreed to the recommendations as set out in the attached appendix 2.