At Project Progress our Young Leaders are dedicated to making change in their community by educating other young people on how to deal with and counteract bigotry and discrimination when they see it happening. By using their voices in leading interactive workshops within local community groups, and also beginning to develop a training toolkit, they are already making great headway with this three year project.

Creativity is embedded in our work at Project Progress, our young people have taken a great interest in trying processes such as printmaking, cyanotypes and photography. 

We would like to apply for £1000 for materials to continue providing the workshops we do. We would like to purchase art materials to replenish the ones we have already used in our workshops and also allow us to experiment with new media that our young leaders might not have had the chance to try yet. Once our Young Leaders have gone through the process of experimentation, we intend to roll youth led workshops out to young people across the Irvine area. we believe our approach to youth devised and led creative experiences is unique within North Ayrshire and the funds available through this PB would support the ambition of our young people to engage with more of their peers. 

Proposed breakdown of costs:

• gel printing plates (2 sizes, 4 plates)- £206.36
• block printing inks (waterbased)- £138.00
• mini printing press- £112.79
• workshop handouts (x100 copies)- £100
• stationary- £96.54
• coloured sugar paper- £82.99
• low tack masking tape (20 rolls)- £69.40
• cutting mats (A2 x2)- £41.98
• newsprint paper- £47.98
• metal letter stencils- £28.66
• inking rollers (100mm x 5)- £28.75
• pritt sticks (x20)- 23.80
• round ended scissors (x2 right-handed, x2left-handed)- £19.16
• foam patterned inking rollers- £3.59

Total- £1000

This initiative promotes gender equality by encouraging participation and boosting confidence. The U14s Girls Team, which currently has 7 regular players, which has doubled since August 2023 and they are currently using the Irvine Ladies’ old kit designed for men, not tailored for female players. By providing gender-specific rugby kits, we aim to ensure the girls feel comfortable and better prepared, enhancing their performance and overall experience on the field. Through our attached development plan, we aim to increase the number of girls playing over the next few years. Introducing a dedicated kit will boost visibility, encourage participation, and reinforce our commitment to gender equality in sports, fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment that empowers female players to thrive.

The proposed costs are for 12 of each:

Female fitted shorts £200

Female fitted rugby shirts £800

The Parent Council wish to help support the young people with gaining the best experience with all aspects performance of music and drama events within the school but especially the musical shows. The funding we are applying for is to allow the purchase of technical equipment which will enhance the experience of the working within music industry and also be used for other events in Music and Drama throughout the year. 

We are also looking to fund some of the more sustainable aspects of the stage makeup to allow our young people to further develop their skills which they have developed already within school in our Lovilious class.

Stage Lighting set with 8 Pre-Wired LED Pars, DMX Controller and Stands- £900

Make-up brush sets- £100

Teamwork is essential in Girl Guiding, as it fosters collaboration, communication, and mutual support among young women, empowering them to achieve common goals while building essential life skills. Through shared experiences in activities, projects, and leadership roles, girls learn the value of diverse perspectives and collective problem-solving, which not only enhances their confidence but also prepares them to navigate both their personal and professional futures. By emphasizing cooperation and solidarity, Girl Guiding nurtures a strong sense of community among young women, inspiring them to become proactive, resilient leaders who can make a positive impact in their communities and beyond. 

Team-building trips for Brownies are essential as they foster a sense of belonging, enhance social skills, and build camaraderie among the girls. These experiences facilitate cooperation and communication, teaching them how to work together towards common goals while having fun. Engaging in outdoor activities and challenges strengthens friendships, boosts self-confidence, and encourages resilience. Additionally, such trips allow Brownies to develop problem-solving skills in a supportive environment, contributing to their overall personal growth and instilling values of teamwork and leadership.

Annual costs 

Hall - £88

Crafts - £300

Science centre sleepover trip 

Cost per girl/leader - £30

20 Brownies - 4 Leaders - £720

The parent council, have worked closely with the pupils of Lawthorn Primary to discuss the issues surrounding road safety in the local area.  Within the school there are representatives that are Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSO) who consult the other young people on issues relating to safe travel in the surrounding community area.  The school has 284 pupils that travel from Girdle Toll area/ Montgomerie Park.  The young people have told us that they feel unsafe when not traveling to school by car.  We have a very small carpark, and surrounding areas has narrow roads where during pick up and drop off both sides of the road are filled with parked cars making it unsafe for young people to cross.   Health and wellbeing is so important for our young people, being able to exercise whilst traveling to and from school safely increases physical health but also wellbeing, being outdoors, meeting friends and traveling together whilst also learning invaluable skills like road safety and independent travel.  The JRSO would also like to do more initiatives from points in the community including walking buses and cycle to school programmes.  Reducing car pick up and drop off also works towards the councils target of tackling climate change and young people leading the way in climate action. The JRSO have asked young people what they would like to see and they have asked for £1268.48 (inclusive of VAT)

This money would buy:

• A banner 8ft x 1ft no parking on zig zags
• ‘No parking’ sign for lamppost 
• 4 parking dummies (2 drop off only, 2 no parking on zig zags)
• Traffic cones no parking x 6
• 2 pavement signs (parking here may endanger your child's life).

These items will:

• Discourage people from parking in the drop off bay and unsafe manoeuvring in the area.
• Remind parents and carers not to park or stop for picks ups keeping the area clear for safe travel in front of the school gates.
• Create safe crossing for children and young people.

The young people involved in the project said “We feel that this would be a great chance for us and the parent council to help us in our goal of encouraging more young people and families to travel safely, help the environment and improve our wellbeing.  The parent council have listened to what we need, and we have really enjoyed being part of this application.”

By voting for this bid it ensures that UNCRCs Article 31 ‘A right to play’ gives young people the feeling of safety going to and from school in ways that they associate with play and connecting with others.

The Ghillie Dhu groups were recognised by the SCVO as a voluntary organisation in May 2024 (Organisation name; Friends of the Ghillie Dhu, reg number; 8890). The groups have been in existence for 5 years. Referrals come mainly from North Ayrshire Council's Children & Families teams throughout North Ayrshire, parents can refer children and the group includes some whose adoptive parents have found the groups to be the only organisation in which their children recieve the high level of adult support to allow them to participate fully and have a positive experience.The aim of the group is  helping the children to trust and regulate their emotions, to promote kindness to others and to help the children learn social skills which can help them  progress to participating in mainstream community children's organisatiions. The group continued online throughout Covid restrictions and the children have shown continuing enthusiasm for attending. We have our own Face Book page - The Ghillie Dhu Crew, pleased look us up and like. 

There are two groups (over and under 8's) which meet in the Volunteer Rooms in Irvine, only the cost of the venue is met by the council. The costs of activities, crafts, the group sweatshirts with our logo and the children's evening snacks and celebrating events, such as Halloweeen are all met by fund raising. The children's sweatshirts need replacing (app £18 each) and the cost of craft and other materials is £250-300 per year. It is hoped that in the new session, 2024/2025 funding will stretch to organising guests who could provide therapeutic experiences such as puppet making and animal& wildlife awareness. The amount applied for is to assist with all these costs.