Students from Dalbeattie High School secured £3000 for a musical project which supports people with dementia.

Zoe Maxwell and Millie Robson were the winners of their school’s Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) grant, impressing judges with their passion for the Musical Minds project run by the Dalbeattie Community Initiative.

YPI has been supported by The Holywood Trust in Dumfries and Galloway for five years. Sammie Smith was on the judging panel. She said:

“It was interesting to hear the social issues the young people chose to focus on in their local community.

“We know the important work that charities do locally. For the Trust, it’s important that young people have a say in how grant funding can be used; YPI provides us with a great vehicle to do just that.”

The funds will be used to support the group in engaging 40 members of the community. The girls shared their personal connections to dementia, and an understanding of how the condition impacts individuals and their families.

Jenna Whelan leads the programme in the school. She said:

“We are a tight-knit community, so YPI gives us an opportunity to focus on the issues impacting the area. The pupils work independently and really learn about what’s happening in the town.”

YPI is an active citizenship programme of The Wood Foundation which empowers young people as advocates in their communities. Through teamwork, research, and competition, one team from each school will secure £3000 for a local charity of their choice. Students lead their own learning, developing key skills while engaging with their communities.

Lucia Giuntoli, YPI Partnerships Manager, said:

“The Holywood Trust is a committed partner of YPI and we value the team’s support – both in terms of funding the YPI grant for local schools, as well as supporting judging at finals. This form of delegated grant giving is a really important way to support local causes, as well as young people’s place as change makers. We would like to thank the Holywood Trust for its continued support.”

YPI is active in more than 250 schools nationally.