A YOUTH charity is seeking £20,000 towards a scheme which aims to help the young people of Allerdale improve their prospects and protect them from harm.

The Cumbria Youth Alliance has asked Cumbria County Council’s to give them the cash towards the continuation of its Friday Night Youth Projects.

The top tier authority’s local committee for the borough is due to meet on Monday May 9 to consider whether or not to award the funding.

The money would come from the coffers of the Universal Youth Fund, taking it down from £32,908 to £12,908.

Targeted youth work carried out through the Friday Night schemes aims to improve young people’s “emotional resilience” through a series workshops held across the borough.

A report which will go before the committee revealed that the sessions will focus on giving young people the skills and confidence to be able to “cope better” with problems and issues in their lives.

The workshops also look at helping young people stay safe online and elsewhere, reducing the risk from child sexual exploitation.

The scheme also works at building confidence and communication, helping young people in Allerdale bridge the gap between the world of school and work.

Youth workers want to reduce the number of young people in Allerdale who end up outside education, employment or training.

The Friday Night Projects now running in the borough include NADT based in Silloth, the Wigton Youth Station and Aspatria Dreamscheme.

Other projects include the GLL in Cockermouth, King’s Church, Cockermouth, the Settlement in Maryport, the South Workington Youth Partnership in Moorclose, Soundwave in Workington and the Oval Centre in Salterbeck.

The total cost of the projects in Allerdale is £59,950, with funding from a variety of sources,

Cumbria Youth Alliance (CYA), which was set up in 1997, will undertake quality checks, provide staff training and support and undertake reports to funders.

It is hoped that this fresh approach will allow smaller groups within the partnership to focus on direct youth work, cutting down on their administrative responsibilities.