The Ardrossan youth association are looking to apply for funding for outdoor equipment for the youth centre to help young people experience outdoor group activities such as badminton, racket ball, soft archery, camping and more.

Health and exercise along with being outdoors will help young people with team building skills, self-esteem and confidence. It will encourage young people to live a healthier lifestyle .This will improve their health and wellbeing with being outdoors more, which is known to improve general fitness and health along with improving their mental health. The AYA are looking to buy some outdoor equipment for the youth centre, such as badminton nets and rackets, shuttle cocks, rackets for rounder’s, balls and some tents, waterproofs to also help give young people the chance to take part in camping and other outdoor activities and encourage them to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

4 X 3 person tents £680

badminton set £48.99

softball set £30.99

Tennis set £39.99

8 X rucksacks £120

Our group seeks to help foster skills in 12-25 year olds by growing soft literacy and numeracy skills, as well as creative storytelling, critical thinking, social interaction, and brainstorming.

Our group compromises dedicated players and dungeon masters who share a common belief in the transformative power of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Ranging from 12 to 25, we come together to create an inclusive and welcoming environment that fosters personal growth, social interaction, and skill development.

We operate out of the Ardeer Community Centre in Stevenston and meet up once a week to play through engaging scenarios that involve a lot of team work, brainstorming, and critical problem solving.

Our Objectives

• Enhancing Social Interaction: D&D is a collaborative game that promotes teamwork, communication, and empathy. Through role-playing and problem solving, participants learn to work together, respect diverse perspectives inspired from real world cultures across the globe, and building friendships that last outside of the game.
• Critical Thinking: Dungeons & Dragons is a game of strategy and decision making. Players face complex scenarios, forcing them to think critically, plan, and adapt to unexpected challenges. These skills are transferable to academic and other real-life situations.
• Soft Skills: D&D involves basic arithmetic, probability, and reading comprehension skills. By engaging in storytelling, participants improve their literacy, numeracy, and analytical abilities in a fun and engaging manner.

We believe that through these three objectives, we are able to give people a creative space and a voice for youth to grow socially, intellectually, and emotionally.

The need for funding

To continue our mission effectively, we require funding to acquire more rulebooks, modules, and supplementary materials. These resources will allow us to:

• Expand our reach: With additional materials, we can accommodate more participants, reaching youth who may not have access to such opportunities otherwise.
• Customise Experiences: D&D is versatile, and having a diverse collection of books enables us to tailor our sessions to the specific interests and needs of our participants, making learning more engaging and relevant.

The impact of this funding goes beyond the gaming table, as it helps participants develop critical life skills, gain confidence, and foster a love for learning. Lessons learned in our D&D sessions positively influence the academic and personal success of our participants.

Pricing Breakdown

• Supplement books: £400 (approx) to get 10 additional source books
• Tabletop 3D models: £150 (approx) to acquire 6 custom figures for our current players, and £100 to purchase a plethora of more generic models to give to future players.

Our Transition Programme is split into 3.

1. Good Start Gift Bags 
2. Potted Sports Event 
3. Transition Disco 

The Parent Council aims to support all children transitioning from primary school into Ardrossan Academy, we work in close partnership with the school to enhance opportunities for our young people. Last year the newly appointed Parent Council recognised the struggles of the cost of the school day following covid and the current cost of living crisis, the is where the idea for the 'Good Start Gift Bag' came from. It ensured equality across the whole of the year group as all pupils were issued with the Bag containing school essentials. 

 The bag itself is a drawstring PE kit bag,it contains a pencil case with pens, pencils, ruler, rubber, sharpener and highlighter, a reusable tub for HE lessons, a scientific calculator and a Spanish dictionary. The cost per bag is £15. The bag is gifted in May/June 2024.

The potted sports event takes place in the astro area of Ardrossan Academy, this event promotes team building and developing friendships. The children are split into their "house" which allows them to meet peers from other primary schools prior to attending classes with them. The cost of this event is £600, this covers the cost of equipment and refreshments on the day. This event takes place in May/June 2024. 

The transition disco allows the children to meet in a much more relaxed environment and gives them another opportunity to meet the pupils the will be in classes with. The costs included in this event are dj hire and refreshments which are approximately £600. The transition disco will be in June 2024.

The estimated cost of the entire transition project is approximately £3000, depending on where we can source the best price for the items we require for the bags. We hope to recieve the full £1000 available from this application and will hold other fundraising events.