Applications open today (Monday) for grants up to £10,000 for promoting and supporting local inclusive youth work projects.

The Education Authority (EA) Youth Service Western Region has received funding from the Department of Education for an Inclusion Scheme which aims to support youth work, specifically targeting communities facing barriers to learning i.e. those at greater risk of social exclusion, marginalisation and isolation.

The money can be used by youth work projects to pay for staffing, transport, hire of premises and programme costs to support their project.

An Education Authority Youth Service spokesperson said: "The Inclusion Scheme is designed to support meaningful developmental opportunities for young people in the target groups over a minimum of 20 weeks up to February 2016. Applicants may apply for funding between £3000 and £10,000. The Youth Service is keen to get this scheme off the ground as quickly as possible, so to that end, we are inviting applicants to seek advice from their Area Youth Office, if required.” Applications for support under the Inclusion Scheme will be welcomed from registered voluntary youth organisations and/or from bona fide voluntary organisations that have experience of direct delivery of youth work programmes with young people.

The closing date for applications is 4pm on Tuesday, September 15.

Application packs are available by contacting your Area Youth Office, by emailing donna.weir@eani.org.uk or by downloading them from the EA Western Region website www.eani.org.uk click Western Region.

Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, September 25.