Cash for youth projects

THREE local youth projects are to benefit from an injection of more than £8,000 from cash confiscated from criminals under the Scottish Government’s cashback for communities programme.

Shetland Islands Council received £3,039 grant to continue their FAST-Fitness Attitude Skills Training work with young adults.

It delivers various activities around fitness, healthy eating, but also create an environment where anger management, problems with money management and anti-social behaviour can be addressed.

Also benefiting from a £4,500 grant is the OPEN peer education project run by Voluntary Action Shetland.

The cash will go towards increasing the number of peer education workshops across Shetland.

The project trains young people (16-25) as peer educators, to deliver workshops across Shetland in current issues relating to sexual health and relationships, alcohol and drug use.

The Lerwick based Bridges Project was also awarded £950 for an interior design arts project.

Justice secretary Michael Matheson said: “Investing in our young people is always money well spent and I am delighted that the Scottish Government’s Cashback for Communities programme is providing this valuable funding for worthy projects across Shetland.”