Lanarkshire youth project receives cash boost from Lottery

Jan 21 2010 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

THOUSANDS of troubled young people across Lanarkshire are to benefit from a Lottery cash injection of more than £600,000.

Liber8 Lanarkshire Ltd will receive £668,043 from the Big Lottery Fund to help tackle issues such as alcohol and drug abuse. The money will go towards a new three-year project which will benefit an estimated 3000 youths.

Liber8 Lanarkshire Youth Service North will be building on the success of the existing programme in South Lanarkshire and will target those aged between 10 and 18 who are - or are at risk of - abusing drugs or alcohol. It also aims to help those affected by their parents’ substance abuse.

The project will directly engage young people on the street and encourage them to take part in alternative activities, such as group work.

Margaret Halbert, general manager at Liber8, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to develop the youth service in North Lanarkshire.

“The StreetBase programme will be delivered to young people who are directly or indirectly affected by alcohol and substance misuse.

“By establishing new partnerships and through good practice, Liber8 believe the service will be welcomed within communities and prove to be as productive and as groundbreaking as it has been been in South Lanarkshire.”

The Big Lottery Fund is the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the Lottery.