Cairngorms Youth LAG
Inspiring the next generation to preserve, protect and develop their Cairngorm community–and themselves.
Funding Fresh Ideas
for the Future
The Cairngorms Youth Local Action Group (Cairngorms Youth LAG) is a group of young people aged 16-30 who formed in 2021 to co-design and run the Cairngorms Youth Fund.
These young people are part of the Cairngorms Youth Action Team (CYAT) who during the 2018 EUROPARC Youth Manifesto Project, stated that they would like to fund young people’s ideas about living, learning and working in the Park. Over 2021/22, in partnership with the Cairngorms Trust, this ambition became a reality. The full Manifesto can be read here.
Eight young people from the Cairngorms National Park formed the Youth LAG. Over residential weekends, they co-designed the Youth Fund, deciding together the aims of the fund, who the funding is for and what kinds of activity they would like to support.
Projects the Fund Supports
The Youth LAG decided the fund will support projects or activities that includes some or all of the following fund priorities:
Who is the fund for?
The Cairngorms Youth Fund is open to applications from people up to the age of 30 or by those who would be working with young people. Individuals can apply for up to £500 and groups can apply for up to £2,000.
1
The first round of funding
The first round of funding received 26 applications and supported 21 projects delivered by or for young people. This including providing kit for young conservationists and mountaineers, Winter Skills courses, a young Artist-in-Residence, shinty equipment for Carrbridge Primary School and bee-keeping equipment for Grantown Grammar School.
2
The second round of funding
The second round of funding (October 22) received 40 applications and supported 21 projects. Some highlights included professional outdoor qualifications courses for young people to encourage employment within the area, Paddling with Pride, The Cactus Book Club videography equipment for a talented young film maker.
3
The third round of funding
The third round of funding in 2022-23 received 51 applications and supported 21 projects. Some highlights were Black Scottish Adventurers, Scottish Canoe Association – Young ambassadors, Move and make art workshops and Home educated young people – John Muir Award activities.
4
The fourth round of funding
The fourth round of funding (January 24) received 20 applications and supported 13 projects delivered by young people. This included providing kit for young conservationists and mountaineers, Skills courses and a lathe for a young wood carver.
5
The fifth round of funding
The fifth round of funding (October 24) received 26 applications and supported 13 projects. Some highlights included professional outdoor qualifications courses for young people to encourage employment and subsequent training of others within the area, funding towards the redevelopment of the Aviemore Primary School Garden, 1st aid training for young rangers and a foraging course and associated equipment.
6
The sixth round of funding
The sixth round of funding (June 25) received 11 applications and supported 10 projects. Some highlights include a Dance workshop for a young dancer in Aviemore, capital equipment for the Carrbridge Youth Orchard Group and Paddling with Pride, various training courses and funding towards a day out for a youth group to the Cairngorms National Park.
Decisions on how the Funding is awarded are made by the Youth LAG. Each member of the Youth LAG reads every application and scores them using a scoring matrix. In decision meetings, the Youth LAG discuss each application and share their scores before reaching a group decision on how to allocate funding.
The Youth LAG want to build a network of young people across the Cairngorms National Park. To this end, they have successfully run a Cairngorms Climate Camp during the summer of 2023. You can read a lovely write up about it here Cairngorms Youth Climate Camp August 2023: Write up from Scottish Rural Action | Rural Social Enterprise Hub
The Youth LAG also commission their own projects. Over 2021/2 and 2022/23 they commissioned a Youth Artist in Residence project in which they obtained funding to support an artist under the age of 30 to spend a week in Inshriach bothy producing art in response to the Cairngorms. The opportunities were advertised and received some amazing applications. Rachael Horsburgh was the successful artist in 2021/22: you can read about the work she produced here. Isabel McLeish was the successful artist in 2022/23: you can read about her residency here Inshriach Bothy Residency — Isabel McLeish and issuu.com | isabelmcleish — led by light 2023.
Got a bright idea?
The Cairngorms Youth LAG are continuing to grow and develop and are always actively recruiting new members. If you are interested in being a part of this group please contact Cairngormstrust@cairngorms.co.uk or visit our contact page and fill out our online form.
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