Crime cash will help boost young people's projects in Ayrshire

Jan 1 2010 by Lisa Boyle, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

CROOKS’ cash will boost scores of young people’s projects in Ayrshire.

More than £30,000 from the Cashback for Communities scheme will be ploughed into 11 organisations all over South Ayrshire.

And six projects in East Ayrshire will also benefit.

The South Ayrshire recipients are South Ayrshire Youth Forum, Girvan New Baby Group, The Ayr Ark, Adventure Centre for Education, Troon Youth Centre Development Committee, Community Learning and Development, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award South Ayrshire Association, South Ayrshire Council Ayr North Multi Agency Youth Group (ANMAG), Barnardos South Ayrshire Families, Riverside Evangelical Church and Girvan Youth Project (Oasis).

And in East Ayrshire, the projects set to benefit include yipworld.com, Dalrymple Youth Centre Management Committee and Ayrshire District Scout Council.

John Scott MSP is delighted at the cash boost.

He said: “Under the Cashback for Communities scheme, assets seized as a result of criminal prosecutions are used to help youth organisations provide local activities.

“The principal of taking money earned from criminal activities and putting it to good use in our community is an excellent one and it’s great to see some of this money coming to Ayrshire where it will benefit literally thousands of individual youngsters and the wider community as a whole.”

Cashback for communities is a programme of diversionary activities for young people to increase the opportunities they have to develop their interests in skills.

Using funds recovered from the proceeds of crime, the Scottish Government has committed to investing over £13 million in a range of cashback projects for young people.

Adam Ingram MSP also welcomed the news.

He said: “I am delighted that these groups in Ayrshire have been awarded funding in this round of the cashback for communities.

“The benefits to the young people are clear – and the benefits are felt in the wider community.

“The Scottish Government is committed to cashback for communities – investment in our young people and their communities will always be money will spent.”