Positive Activities Funding to continue supporting young people

Young people across Redditch will have more opportunities to engage in positive activities thanks to additional funding.

The additional “Positive Activities Funding” is intended to help divert young people from taking part in criminal activity or antisocial behaviours.

Late last month, Redditch Borough Council’s Development Services Team, learned that they had been successful in bidding for this additional funding from Worcestershire County Council in order to continue providing positive activities for young people until March 2023.

Redditch Borough Council have received £63,911 to allocate to local groups or projects to encourage take up of these positive behaviours.

The funding currently helps to support VCS groups across the borough, such as Your Ideas, What’s Your Point, RYCE, YMCA, PAZ (Arrow Vale Academy), UP Foundation, Redditch Self Defence and Wheels Project (Skate Park) to deliver activities and youth groups.

Leisure Services Portfolio Holder, Cllr Joanne Beecham, said: “Given the horrific incident which occurred last week, this funding cannot have come at a more appropriate time. I have met with and know many of the groups who are supported by this funding and cannot thank them enough for the hard work they put in to support young people in our town. The activities they run can be enjoyed by any young person, from any walk of life, but for some it could be a lifeline they didn't know they needed.”

Leader of the Council, Cllr Matt Dormer, said: “The incident which occurred outside ASDA last week was unforgivable and for it to have been committed by a juvenile makes it doubly sad. Whilst we now know that those involved were not from Redditch, it still shows how important it is for us to continue supporting these VCS groups and our young people so that such tragedies do not occur again.”

For more information about the positive activities funding or how to get involved, contact the council’s Development Services Team on 07809586301.