The body which replaced the VEC in the summer has announced a plan to provide €25,000 in funding for the youth clubs of Westmeath.
The Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB ) plans to fund some 30 voluntary youth clubs throughout County Westmeath.
“Every week more than 1,000 young people aged between 10 and 18 will benefit directly from these grants. We will fund educational and sporting activities, the arts, trips away, leadership and personal development programmes. Groups like Scouts, Foróige and other youth clubs will also be able to purchase vital equipment and maintain their premises,” said LWETB’s youth officer Maria Fox.
The grant scheme administered is available every year to youth clubs and is the main source of funding to enable them to provide their activities outside of charitable donations.
Dr Christy Duffy, CEO of LWETB, said he was “particularly happy that LWETB was funding seven new groups based in Athlone, Mullingar, and Castlepollard”.
“Without this financial support and assistance these groups simply would not continue to exist,” he added.
LWETB came into being on July 1, replacing the Vocational Educational Committees in both Longford and Westmeath as part of a nationwide streamlining of the agency.
Along with providing a range of education and training opportunities for children and adults it also has responsibility for the development, co-ordination, and funding of youth work services and programmes in the two counties.
Dr Duffy invited any person or group working with young people to contact Ms Fox on (044 ) 9348389 for information, advice, and support.
