Vital funding secures youth support in South Lanarkshire

A COMMUNITY initiative supporting young people and families in South Lanarkshire has been strengthened after new funding helped secure a full-time staff member to lead and expand vital youth programmes.

The support has been delivered through a grant from the Renewable Energy Fund (REF), which is funded from the Kype Muir Wind Farm owned and operated by OnPath Energy, and will help the Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Resilience Group sustain and grow its work across the two rural communities.

Based in the villages of Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill, the charity has spent recent years developing youth activities, school partnerships and community programmes designed to build confidence, resilience and opportunity for young people in the area.

The grant has enabled the group to appoint Heather McCartney as a full-time development worker, ensuring it has the capacity to manage day-to-day operations while continuing to develop its long-term ambitions.

Aileen McCreadie, partnerships and community manager at OnPath Energy, said: “Community groups like this are the heart of rural towns and villages, providing opportunities and support that might otherwise not exist.

“The work being done at the Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Resilience Group shows the lasting impact that community-led projects can have, particularly when they focus on young people and the future of an area.

Aileen McCreadie, Partnerships and community manager at OnPath Energy

“By supporting this initiative, we are helping ensure that vital programmes continue to run, that young people have safe and welcoming spaces to spend time together, and that the organisation has the stability it needs to keep growing for generations to come.”

Established during the pandemic, the resilience group was created to respond directly to the needs of residents and has since evolved into a registered charity focused on strengthening the community through youth engagement and partnership working.

The group now runs regular youth clubs, school-based sessions and collaborative projects with local partners including schools, charities and community organisations across the area.

These activities include resilience programmes in local secondary schools, helping pupils to build confidence and develop positive decision-making skills, as well as creative initiatives designed to tackle issues such as bullying and the transition from primary to secondary education.

Heather said: “Having the funding jointly from the REF grant and OnPath Energy to secure this full-time role has made an enormous difference to what we can do as an organisation.

“Our trustees had done incredible work establishing the project and keeping it going, but they were all balancing that responsibility alongside full-time jobs.

“This support has in particular, allowed me to focus properly on delivering youth work, strengthening partnerships with schools and community groups, and to plan for the future so that the organisation can continue to grow.”

She added that the role has already helped ensure the sustainability of the group’s work in the area, safeguarding youth provision that might otherwise have been at risk.

“Without this dedicated role, it would have been extremely difficult for us to continue operating in the same way,” she said.

“There was a real possibility that some of the youth activities and programmes could have come to an end simply because the workload had become too much for volunteers alone.

“Instead, we now have the stability and capacity to keep those programmes running and to develop new opportunities for young people across the community.”

The REF can fund capital and revenue for up to three years for projects that deliver on seven rural priorities:

• Transport and connectivity.            
• Recreation and community facilities.
• Rural entrepreneurial activities and business infrastructure.
• Jobs, training and employability.
• Environmental and net zero sustainability.
• Rural poverty and wellbeing.
• Tourist and visitor infrastructure to support tourism and business.

The council’s Head of Enterprise and Sustainable Development, Alison Brown, said: “The Renewable Energy Fund is about more than just providing financial support – it’s about creating long-term benefits for local communities, and this funding for the Resilience Group is a perfect example of that.

“Not only will the creation of Heather’s post help to maintain and build upon the wonderful work done by the charity, but as a consequence this work will, in more ways than ever, support local young people in vital areas of their development and have a lasting and meaningful effect on the community as this new generation matures and grows.”

Youth provision remains at the heart of the charity’s work, particularly in rural communities where access to activities and safe social spaces can be limited.

Weekly youth clubs provide structured sessions and informal support for young people from late primary school through to secondary age, offering a welcoming environment where they can build friendships, develop confidence and speak openly with trusted youth workers.

The organisation also works closely with local schools to deliver targeted programmes supporting pupils who may be struggling with engagement, helping them develop resilience and remain connected to their education.

Looking ahead, the group is planning a range of new initiatives, including an international youth exchange that will bring young people together from Scotland and Europe to share experiences and celebrate their communities.

For the charity’s volunteers and partners, the funding represents a turning point in ensuring that the work already underway can continue to thrive.