Councillors support Tain Youth Café

At today’s (Wednesday 4 Feb) Skye, Ross and Cromarty Area Committee Councillors approved funding of over £16,600 towards supporting Tain and District Youth Café and the work of the YMCA’s Youth and Community Worker.

The Café was set up in 1998 and since then has proved to be a highly valued service in the town and the surrounding area, providing a safe environment where all young people are welcomed, nurtured and listened to.

Members heard that the Youth Café now delivers youth and community programmes up to 6 days each week.  The Youth Worker employed to run the project is key to this and also oversees a dedicated team of 35 volunteers who help to plan and deliver a wide range of activities including sport and drama events as well as a host of community events and fundraising activities.  Young people sit on the Board of the Café and are encouraged to play an active role in decision-making and planning for the future, as well as taking part in projects addressing issues including health, truancy and substance misuse.

The post of Youth Worker has up until now been part funded by Children in Need with match funding coming from The Highland Council’s Youth and Ward Discretionary Funding but this award has now ended so the Youth Café is looking for a new funding package. 

Members agreed to provide £9,500 from the Youth Fund and £7,165 from the Ward Discretionary Budget. The Café has also submitted applications to the Macdonald Trust and the Youth Link Cash for the remaining 50% of the annual cost.

All of the Ward Councillors are fully supportive of this project and speaking on their behalf, Councillor Alasdair Rhind said: “The council has always been very supportive of the Tain Youth Café which is now well established in our town. It provides the number one place for young people to go to, a safe haven which delivers a wide range of activities and plays an active role in our community.  Everyone involved does a great job so we are delighted with the support given by the committee today.”