Youth Opportunity Fund - What's been funded?

The Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Funds are funds with a difference; every quarter, groups of young people get together and look at bids from Youth Centres, voluntary groups and other groups working with young people in Oxfordshire for new projects, repairs to their facilities, ideas for new clubs, events and more.

They decide who gets the money, and how it gets spent. You can find out more about the process -- and how your group can apply for funding -- in the Funding section on Spired.com.

• Download 2008/9 Grant Aid Application form

To find out about some of the amazing projects that have been funded so far this year, read on:

Projects in and around Oxford City

The Leys CDI have been awarded funding for two great projects in Blackbird Leys; a youth Radio Station project, where young people will learn to DJ live on local radio, and a four-week driving course to get young people skilled up to be better, smarter safer drivers.

Wheatley Youth centre have received funding to start the Youthie music project, with the eventual aim of getting regular music events going; they'll be starting on building up music skills and some projects to create some music, though!

Wolvercote Young People's club are getting funding for their allotment project, which will be looking at healthy eating, growing your own food, and gardening skills, through the Youth Centre getting its own allotment.

Cheney School have got some funding to help support their entry to Rock Challenge, a performing arts event involving students from schools and colleges around the world.

Young people with disabilities group Parasol has received funding for a summer volunteering scheme which will recruit young people to support disabled children and young people in accessing mainstream play and leisure activities. Also this summer, the Summer Canoeing Challenge has been funded to organise sessions and a Canoe/Camping trip for a group of disabled young people and their friends.

Projects in the Vale of the White Horse

Skat8 Faringdon is a long-term group project to get a skate park set up in Faringdon Park, and was awarded funding to enable young people to take their skating off the streets and market square and into a purpose-built skate park -- safer for them, and less annoying for other people, everyone wins!

Big Wantage Youth centre The Sweatbox got funding for Rock & Film in the Park, a big festival of music, film and environmental awareness organised by young people for the local community as a pro-youth community celebration.

Team SS20 got funding to enter a mountain boarding Fun Day/Competition. Funding will cover transport, competition entry, camping and board spares, which will allow them to attend competitions and develop their skills!

Faringdon Youth Centre got funding for a 16-20 football league to be held at Faringdon Leisure centre. Funding covers the cost of hiring pitches at the leisure centre, much to the delight of the young people who are gaining valuable social skills through this activity.

Campus Youth Centre needs to get its kitchen sorted out. The funding awarded will allow the Youth centre to get their kitchen rewired and new plumbing installed so it can be used again, as well as getting in new flooring for the Snack bar.

West Oxfordshire Projects

Witney Ecumenical Trust are receiving part-funding for a trip for eight young people to West Africa, who will help organise projects and sports days for AIDs orphans and take part in sexual health workshops. The young people going on the trip have already raised some of the funding by organising local events.

North and West Young Carers have been awarded a grant for a Film & Team Building project which will provide them with an opportunity to socialise, relax and enjoy the company of other carers. The project consists of a weekend away in the country and a five-day film project, where they will make a film that demonstrates the issues that young carers are faced with to be shown to other young people and staff.

Allandale Centre Refurb Young people have created the designs and plans for a 'big revamp' to update and modernise this well attended youth centre. The more positive atmosphere and environment will mean more socials at the centre and less hanging around the streets.

Adventure Plus have funding to provide equipment, training and activities so thousands of young people can learn and take part in fencing this year.

Oxford Blues skater hockey club got funding for equipment, help with the cost of running training sessions and attending championships. It aims to make the sport more accessible to all ages and genders regardless of abilities and backgrounds, and provides six teams in different areas.

Projects in South Oxfordshire

Didcot Baptist Church got funding for Soul in Didcot, a four-day cleanup project happening across Didcot followed by a celebration with live music and a BBQ. Young people and youth groups across the area will be welcome.

Cholsey Summer Festival Cholsey Youth Group will celebrate Goring and Cholsey and being young people with a festival. Among other entertainments, look out for workshops on circus skills and obstacle courses! A fun event to keep young people busy over the Summer Holidays and help to build a greater sense of community between the two villages.

Thame Youth Centre is a busy centre with lots of different needs. Look out for a YOF-funded refurbishment to cheer up some gloomy decor in the youth centre, an improved internet cafe and some exciting Kayaking activities in summer.

Duke of Edinburgh awards The funding will support two expeditions as part of the award project which helps young people benefit through taking part in activities they've never tried before. The award has an element of community service, in which young people help a local project within their own community for up to six months.

First aid for babysitters course Young baby sitters in the Goring and Cholsey area will have the opportunity to attend a First Aid course, useful for their current job and a transferable skill for the future.

Community Gardening Project - Goring and Cholsey Young people helping to spruce up the foliage within their community. Through planting new flowers and plants they will be adding to the sense of wellbeing and healthy living in their villages.

Cherwell/North Oxfordshire Area

Skidz mini limo project. Someone call Top Gear! This piece of funding will be going to help the Skidz Banbury motor project convert two minis into one limo. Fifty young people will be involved in the project and there will be a scrapbook journal of their progress.

Banbury Foyer Board Games evenings. Young homeless people don't have an easy place to hang out and have fun with their mates. The funding will allow the Foyer to give them space to hang out and play board games with each other and workers.

The Courtyard Gig Committee have successfully bid for funding to soundproof an echoey, unsoundproofed hall at The Courtyard in Bicester so regular gigs and band rehearsals can sound better and local residents get less disturbance.

A group of young people at Grimsbury (Banbury East) bid successfully for better equipment for the DJ room of their youth centre. The room (designed by young people, very popular with local youth groups) currently has second-hand equipment, and people want to record songs to a higher quality.

Steeple Aston Youth Club got funding for a multi-use games area which is expected to be used well as there is nothing for the 13-19 age group within the local area! The young people organisers consulted among their peers to decide on the best use of the area and what sports equipment would be most used, as well as raising part of their funding within the local community.

This is only a sample of what's been funded. The full list (caution, it's long!) is up here.