News: Participatory Budgeting – ‘This is a brilliant way to make decisions!’

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With the next round of #YouChoose3 coming soon here is a story about just how much of an impact participatory budegting can make to a community.

Children, young people and supporters (teachers, parents, friends) from 20 project groups across Speyside took part in project development and process decision making (such as who gets to vote) at Speyside Community Centre on Friday 21st September 2018.

Speyside YP Decide has received 21 applications, with over £16,000 funds applied for, and a total of £10,000 funding available to be distributed through participatory budgeting.

Children and young people voted to share the money ‘half and half’. This means £5,000 will be allocated to fully fund projects that receive most votes, and £5,000 shared amongst the rest.

The bumper crop of applications received include projects that address the following themes: Citizenship and community support; Arts & amateur sport; Advancing education; Promoting health; and Relieving poverty.

The ideas put forward by children and young people from Speyside highlight their ambitions and aspirations to make friends, enjoy life, advance skills and take part in a wide range of experiences, as well as helping other children and young people, and people of all ages in their wider communities, do the same.

Every child and young person in Speyside can vote via Young Scot, either through their Young Scot card, or through their primary school, with voting codes being issued to every primary school in Speyside Associated School Group area.

The development workshop generated genuine enthusiasm in children and young people,

‘this is a brilliant way to make decisions!’

Some are keen to get even more involved going forward, such as signing up to redesign the application form for future rounds.

During the workshop, project groups took turns to share their proposal with a wider group of applicants and participants, inviting comments on what was good about their idea, what might make it even better, and which category it would fit.

The Speyside YP Decide working group were delighted by young people’s response to the workshop,

‘We can’t stop grinning from ear to ear. This is exactly what it’s all about.’

Speyside YP Decide is already proving itself as a great way for everyone to work together to celebrate the Year of Young People 2018 in Moray. Well done our kids doing it the Speyside way!

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