€5,000 for Kinvara Youth Project

A NEWLY established youth organisation this week scooped the top prize in the AIB Better Ireland Programme, awarded by the bank’s Gort branch. A NEWLY established youth organisation this week scooped the top prize in the AIB Better Ireland Programme, awarded by the bank’s Gort branch.
Kinvara Youth Project was formed after a meeting between a number of teenagers, parents and community members at the end of 2008 and was announced on Monday as the recipient of €5,000 from the bank.
The Kinvara Youth Project (KYP) evolved as a response to a desire expressed by Kinvara’s teenagers, for the provision of a secure location where they could meet and socialise.
“As the winning project was chosen by the community through a public vote, the project team is delighted with the overwhelming display of community support for the project. We are very grateful to all who voted for KYP. AIB’s award will enable us to provide resources essential to enable this project to impact, in a positive way, on the lives of many young people, particularly those who may be disadvantaged or at risk,” outlined Jane Joyce of Kinvara Youth Project.
The €5,000 award will go towards improving the group’s facilities, she added.
“Having successfully secured a venue, the project team are beginning the process of putting in place a space that teenagers can identify with; creating a sense of belonging and emotional and physical security. As well as paying the bills for more practical tasks, such as recent painting and carpeting work on the courthouse, decor and furnishing are an essential element in the creation of this space, in order to ensure a sense of place, so the group needs to purchase soft furnishing and other essential equipment,” Ms Joyce concluded.
AIB in Galway awarded €110,000 to 33 local projects that benefit children across the county. Voting for the 2009/2010 AIB Better Ireland Programme closed at midnight on March 15 and more than 600,000 votes were received, double the number of votes in 2008.
Three projects were shortlisted per branch and were ranked depending on the number of votes they received from their local community. The project that ranked in first place for each branch will now receive €5,000, second place will receive €3,000 and third place €2,000.
AIB in Gort will present €5,000 to Kinvara Youth Project, €3,000 to St Thomas’s Foróige Club and €2,000 to Gort No Name Club.
AIB Loughrea    is to present Bullaun National School, Ballinasloe Disabled Riding and Youth Work Ireland Galway with a total of €10,000.