Stratford-on-Avon District Council has awarded grants to four local organisations to support young people across Stratford-on-Avon District who have had difficult lockdown experiences.
Young people have had their lives turned upside down by the pandemic and have had to adjust to major changes in their education, leisure and home life.
Good mental wellbeing is important to help young people develop the resilience to cope with life.
Councillor Jo Barker, Portfolio Holder for Health & Wellbeing said: "Supporting young people to overcome mental wellbeing issues triggered by the pandemic is so important. The District Council is pleased to offer grants to these four diverse projects, all of which aim to provide young people strategies to manage their mental wellbeing and offer a safe space to talk."
The grants will support:
Lifespace Trust (£3000), based in Stratford-upon-Avon to deliver workshops for girls throughout the district to build confidence, better understand their mental health and the strategies that can help with anxiety and ultimately set goals for the future.
Rachel Key, Chief Executive of Lifespace Trust, said: "After a year that has tested many people's resilience and self-esteem, Lifespace's RECOVERHer/Their workshop programme gives young women the chance to explore their strengths and appreciate how incredible they are."
Escape Arts (£3,000) from Stratford-upon-Avon will use the grant to deliver a Dungeons & Dragons society where collaboration to overcome obstacles is crucial. Young people from across the district will meet in a supervised online platform to play the game.
Karen Williams, Chief Executive of Escape Arts, said: "Escape Arts are delighted to receive this funding for a new Dungeons and Dragons project for young people aged 13-16. The Escape Arts Dungeons and Dragons Society opens up a world of adventure, camaraderie and excitement. Young people work together to complete objectives like rescuing a town from a rampaging dragon or saving a princess from an evil tyrant as well as enjoying a few tales and laughs with fellow adventurers. The project encourages team building, decision making, and inclusivity. It develops social and other life skills which can be used in the real world."
Warwickshire Young Carers (£1,939) will purchase outdoor equipment so they can bring young carers together for small group activities, providing a safe environment where they can relax and learn new skills.
Amy de Ville, Fundraising and Engagement Lead at WYC, said: "The funding for the Recover and Reconnect project enables us to begin to bring young carers back together in small groups to provide activities within localities across Stratford. These activities will have a specific focus on reducing isolation and increasing wellbeing after the huge impact that has been felt as a result of the pandemic."
The Depot Youth Club (£2,800) run by Alcester Town Council will train volunteer mentors to work at the club, offer workshops and mentoring to attendees who need some additional support.
Wendy Sherwood, Health & Wellbeing Co-ordinator at Alcester Town Council, said: "We know that local youth clubs can provide vital early mental health support and it is important that young people know there is a place where they can go and find support or services that they may need. This funding allows us to provide some specific mentoring and resilience support alongside our programme of social activities to provide a full package of provision that will help reduce loneliness and social isolation for young people in Alcester."
All the projects started in April or May but vary in duration.
The grants have been awarded from the District Council's annual funding to the voluntary and community sector which targets the priorities detailed in the Council's Social Inclusion Statement.
