'New era' of youth work set to start in Brora with appointment of youth worker
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Brora Development Trust have announced the appointment of Megan Penny, as its lead youth worker.
Megan joined the trust last week and has begun work on the delivery of a new youth initiative for young people in Brora.
She recently moved from Aberdeenshire to Brora with her young family. A university graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Child and Youth Studies, she has experience of working with children and young people of all ages.
The initiative is being funded by Westminster Foundation (£10,000) and SSE Renewables, Gordonbush Community Fund (£4,672).
Further work is to be undertaken to secure additional funding to enable the initiative to grow.
Trust development officer Sarah Morrison said: “This youth-led initiative will start in early January with weekly youth club sessions and group excursions and activities outwith these sessions over the course of next year.
“This is the culmination of months of preparation by the trust, including the formation of Brora Youth Partnership, a group of passionate local volunteers keen to make sure that the needs of young people in Brora are met and their voices are heard. The role of the partnership is to guide the development trust on the youth initiative."
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The trust is also working alongside Youth Highland, a charity that supports organisations and groups across the Highlands to set up and run youth initiatives. Youth Highland is part of the umbrella group, Youth Scotland.
Youth Highland chief executive Clair Nichols, said: “Brora is one of the growing number of community based charitable organisations who are listening to young people and providing opportunities and activities and supporting the delivery of much needed preventative services in rural communities.
“We believe that community organisations are best placed to enable positive outcomes for families, children and young people.
"We look forward to supporting continued development and helping to celebrate the impact that youth work has on improving the local community.”
Consultation exercises have taken place with young people from Brora, facilitated by Brora Primary School and Golspie High School, to find out what young people need and want in terms of out of school support and provisions.
Xanthe Mackay, a 6th year pupil at Golspie High School, said: “We really need somewhere warm and friendly to go after school and in the evenings, where we can spend time with our friends and have fun."
Deirdre Mackay, a trustee of Brora Development Trust said: "Young people are the lifeblood of every community and the trust has placed our local youngsters at the very heart of our work.
"They have led the way and we are thrilled to have secured the funding for this important post. We look forward now to a new era of youth work in Brora!"
Brora Development Trust is a registered Scottish charity whose function is to address economic, environmental and cultural issues in Brora and district, and to enable the community to play a bigger role in shaping its own future.
