The National Lottery Community Fund (NCLF) helps charities around the country achieve their goals. Recently, a KIDS Yorkshire Bridlington charity received an impressive £130k to help empower local children. As they are not yet old enough to vote, children rarely have a local community voice. Few authorities consult them, even on the decisions that affect them. This applies especially to children with disabilities. But disabled adults are pushing for more control over their own lives. Isn’t it about time we let disabled children do the same? That’s the thinking behind the “Hear Our Voice” campaign. It’s the first of its kind in Yorkshire.
KIDS Yorkshire Bridlington “Hear Our Voice”
The entire £130,944 spread over three years will go to developing the charity’s Young People Participation Group. This will enable 14-25 year old children with disabilities promote their voice in accessibility of public services. KIDS Yorkshire Bridlington carried out thorough research in the area on things to do. They discovered a distinct lack of things to do for this demographic and felt that needs to change. But the best way to change things is to encourage participation of affected communities. The best way to do that, they feel, is to train such children to develop confidence in their own voice. Once achieved, they can go out into the world aware of their needs and willing to express them.
But local politics and activism omit children by design. Even where present, it is rare they receive the level of seriousness they require or deserve. With National Lottery funding for such communities, that is already changing. KIDS Yorkshire Bridlington recently put out a call for disabled children to come forward and get involved in the new group. National Lottery Community Fund is proud to enable groups across the UK. However, the key to success is people: engage and involve locally.