Funding for holiday activities to boost youths' mental health

Aberdeenshire Council will develop a holiday recovery programme for young people across the region to help improve their mental health.

The matter was discussed at a meeting of the education and children’s services committee (ESC) on Thursday.

A £2m holiday recovery reserve was agreed in the local authority’s budget earlier this year to help create proposals for youngsters in each area of the region.

Additional funding will also be made available through the Scottish Government’s recently announced ‘holiday fun’ fund, but the detail on this has not yet been confirmed.

The recovery programme will be provided in all 17 areas in Aberdeenshire with an aim to support the mental, physical and social health wellbeing of the region’s young people.

The activities will also be targeted at individuals and groups who may be at risk of missing out due to socio-economic reasons and support will be given to ensure everyone can attend.

The council’s community learning and development team have already reached out to young people for their views on the activities they would like to see on offer.

Both face-to-face and virtual activities are expected to be made available.

Commenting, committee chair councillor Gillian Owen said she was “delighted” that the council had created the £2m reserve.

She added: “This investment from the council will ensure that we can deliver activities not only this summer but also in the October holidays and the Easter holidays next year.

“Our young people really deserve this investment after the experience they have all had over the last 14 months or so.”

By local democracy reporter Kirstie Topp