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Foundation helping young people to Make a Difference
The Milton Keynes Community Foundation has funded a youth-led befriending initiative to help young people living with a disability. The grant of just under £5,000 was awarded from the Foundation's Margaret Powell Fund* a significant legacy fund set up in the early 90's by a local farming family the Powells.
The weekly befriending sessions run by youth volunteering project 'Make a Difference' encompass a wide range of activities including cake icing, football, badminton and dancing. The meetings provide a natural and organic environment for the befrienders to meet and mix with young disabled people and to take part in their own chosen activities together.
This recent grant will now ensure the sessions continue for a twelve-month period, covering both funding and training costs for the befrienders. A full day of training is offered the befrienders to improve their knowledge and understanding of disability, and as around half of the disabled people attending are non-verbal communicators, the befrienders are also taught (Sign-a-long) basic sign language.
The project started when feedback from local teenagers showed they wanted to contribute and make a difference to other teenagers who live with disabilities.
Project co-ordinator Natasha Davidson described this as, “an incredible experience for everyone involved as they all gain the opportunity to spend time in an environment that is totally different from everyday school and family. The project has had a significant impact on volunteering in Milton Keynes. "It is such a great thing for people in Milton Keynes to be part of in a volunteering sense. With this additional money we can better support the befrienders, without it we wouldn't have such a great offer." Natasha Davidson.
*This local legacy was initiated by Margaret Powell who instructed the family inheritance should be set up as a fund that would benefit frail elderly people and people with disabilities regardless of age. The Foundation have administering the fund for the last 18 years and it has brought significant benefit to these charitable causes across the city including support for projects such as the Groovy Gecko Nightclub, the Chrysalis theatre and Headway MK Centre.
Published July 8th 2010
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