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myplace is a multi-million pound Government programme to deliver world class places for young people to go.
Launched on 3 April 2008 by Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, myplace responds to the commitments made in Aiming High for Young People: A ten year strategy for positive activities. Setting out the Government's vision for improving youth facilities in response to clear ongoing demand from young people, parents and communities for more and better places for young people to go, the strategy's ambition is for new and improved places to go in all areas of the country.
To kick-start this process, myplace will deliver just over £270 million of Government capital investment over the next three years through grants of between £1 million and £5 million, driving both a major change in the level of ambition across the country and a transformation in the way facilities for young people are planned and delivered.
myplace will enable the creation of world class youth facilities in communities across the country through the input and influence of young people, and through genuine cross-sector partnership working.
The BIG Lottery Fund has been appointed to administer the scheme.
On 4 March 2009 Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, announced the 41 projects chosen for myplace standard track funding representing the next major milestone of the programme. £180 million has been committed in the standard track of the first round and the 4 March announcement follows on from the Secretary of State Ed Balls' announcement on 27 November 2008 of £62 million of capital investment in 21 fast track projects.
On 5 June 2009 the Big Lottery Fund opened Round 2 of myplace, which is worth £31.6m. Round 2 will focus on projects located in the one third most deprived areas of England. Successful projects will be announced in December.
Find out what young people think about myplace in a short film which also features comment from Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families.
Context
To make the most of the once-in-a-generation opportunity presented by both Government and unclaimed assets funding, it is essential that partners from across public, third and private sectors work together with young people, their families and their communities to develop a more integrated and strategic approach to making best use of all available assets and funding streams to improve places to go. We set out this expectation in Aiming High, and have recently reinforced it through the statutory guidance which underpins s' duty to secure access to positive activities. The , A more integrated and strategic approach to improving places for young people to go, developed with partners and experts from across government and the third sector, explains how we think can best meet this expectation.
Outcomes
Funded projects must deliver all of the following outcomes:
- more young people, parents and communities feel that young people have exciting and safe places to go in their leisure time where they can get involved in an attractive range of activities
- more young people, particularly the most disadvantaged, participate in positive leisure time activities that support their personal and social development
- more young people have access to information, advice and support services from within places they feel comfortable
- stronger partnership working between s, third, private and public sector partners to plan, deliver and operate financially sustainable youth facilities with and for young people.
myplawill only fund projects that will deliver on all four outcomes, and demonstrate evidence of the real participation of young people, particularly disadvantaged young people, in the development, design and future running of the project.
Further information
For further information and a list of myplace projects please see the DCSF press notices:
- World class places for young people to go to, 4 April 2008
- First wave of world class places for young people to go, 28 November 2008
- Young people help design world class youth facilities, 4 March 2009
- Further £30m for youth centres in deprived areas, 5 June 2009
For full guidance materials, application forms, and a list of questions and answers, visit the BIG Lottery Fund website or call the BIG advice helpline on 0845 410 2030.
Associated documents
myplace: A strategic approach to improving places
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Last updated on 08/04/2008
