You can get up to £25,000 for a youth-led heritage project from the Heritage Lottery Fund. ‘Youth-led’ means young people plan and run their own project. Are you up for the challenge?

Young Roots can fund interpetation, like films, websites, fashion shows, exhibitions, publications, living history, interpretation panels or art and craft. It also funds practical heritage work, like vehicle restorations, oral history research, nature conservation or archaeology. Finally, it funds training in traditional skills like fishing, dry stone walling, folk music, horticulture and healthy eating, underwater archaeology, stonemasonry or archival research.

Young Roots' funding can cover most project costs, often including salaries and fees for freelance workers. All this is available for young people aged 13-20 (13-25 for young people with special needs). Young Roots projects are partnerships between youth organisations and heritage organisations. Although the scheme is promoted mainly to youth organisations, heritage organisations can apply too. You must be willing to work with young people using a youth work ethos.

For further information contact: Local Young Roots Co-ordinator. Tel: 0131 225 9450.