Maidenhead & Windsor

Maidenhead Royal Borough teenagers are to be given the opportunity to hold the purse strings on spending for young people in an innovative scheme to be launched later this month.

Under the government's two-year Youth Opportunities Fund, young people aged 13 – 19 are being invited to become youth assessors to help decide how and where money is spent on facilities and opportunities across the Maidenhead borough.

To enable the young assessors to get to grips with their new-found spending power, the Maidenhead Royal Borough's community and youth services team is holding a series of one-day training courses next week to introduce applicants to the world of "high finance".

The courses will be held from 11am to 4pm on
Monday August 14 at Castle Hill Centre, High Town Road, Maidenhead
Tuesday August 15 at the Manor Youth Centre, Windsor
Thursday August 17 at Charters Youth Centre, Ascot.

Training will include what is involved in being an assessor – what skills are needed, how those skills can be best used and the commitment involved. Participants will also carry out role-play both as an assessor and an applicant, and undertake practical activities such as designing an application form for would-be assessors to use.

Cllr Richard Fagence, lead member for Maidenhead leisure and cultural services, said: "This is a brilliant opportunity for young people to have their voices heard on issues that really matter to them – and to take charge of how money is spent to give them the facilities and opportunities they most want and need.

"Those young people who do train to be assessors will be working on behalf of their peers to ensure that the money from the Youth Opportunities Fund is directed at helping to fund ideas and schemes which young people really want. So come on, this is your chance to really make a difference!"

For further information about the youth assessors' scheme, and to request an application form, contact either Danny Gomm on 01628 510289 or Denise Gilholme on 01628 796949.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead