Our Social Group brings together autistic people (aged 18-35) from across West Dunbartonshire. The group reduces social isolation among autistic people living locally, and supports them to become more active in the community. Our Social Group is run by a specialist support worker and 3 volunteers. The grant would cover the costs of the staff involved, plus a range of social group activities. This will benefit up to 15 autistic people aged between 18 – 35 years who live in West Dunbartonshire.

We are based in Centre81 in Clydebank, we run an art and sport club on a Friday night and Saturday morning this service is for children who have autism, siblings are also welcome. Parents have an area provided for parents who want to stay and chat through the sessionsWe will use the funding to expand the group to meet the demand as we are getting new referrals weekly. This will benefit Children and families affected by Autism.

Ben View Resource Centre is a charity based in Dumbarton. A weekly group for young people aged 8-15, providing a variety of sports and physical exercise. We will also be educating young people on the importance of physical movement for mental health. We will be offering a variety in the hope that each young person finds a sport which they enjoy and will continue out with the group. 

We are a Shopmobility centre, based in Clyde Shopping Centre.  We offer provision to people who may require assistance to get out and about, especially in the shopping centre. We are aware of the social isolation and want to start up a Boccia group which is suitable for people of all abilities and ages.  We also want to encourage young people to come along.  Boccia is a paralympic sport and we would look to join Disability Sports Scotland to get support from them.

Based in the heart of Clydebank serving all ages of our community from art classes, Music Making for adults, Music school for youths, creche area and toddler groups, Gaming, Pool tournaments, Fortnite and FIFA tournaments, Karaoke Club, Magic School, Cooking School for adults and Meditation classes. We are applying for funding for a special filming project that follows teens around their areas who keep saying ‘Nothing to do.. or I’m bored’. This mini documentary film will be a week-long diary of times and places where they can access services in their local community. This will consist of community youth groups within the local area and highlight the activities on offer at certain times and days. We will work with our youth film making group to plan, write, film and edit the documentary as well as take part on screen. The youths within the Clydebank area will have a chance to join our filming group and take part in this fantastic project. This can benefit all the families who have youths that keep hearing.. ‘I’m Bored and there’s nothing to Do…’ 

We are a foodbank serving West Dunbartonshire, our main office is based in Dumbarton. We provide support to children and families affected by poverty and food insecurity in West Dunbartonshire.  We will use this funding to continue to buy food stock for the foodbank and continue our community soup project.

In this club 8-16 year olds will learn in a fun space filled with cutting edge technology. Sometimes they will be working with visiting experts.  We’ll be offering youngsters in the area chance to learn new and exciting tech skills. We’re keen to start up a 3D printing club - but with much more to it. 8-16 yr olds in West Dunbartonshire will benefit from this project.

FireCloud was started by a few young ‘Bankies’ in 2007. 16 years on, we work with 500 people annually from Whitecrook, Drumry, Linnvale, Parkhall, Hardgate, Faifley, Dalmuir, Old Kilpatrick, and Duntocher (and another 2500 people across Glasgow). We are based in Our Holy Redeemer Church House, Clydebank. We will use the money to employ a sessional youth development worker to help grow our current youth work into a sustainable ‘academy’ style programme for teens (11-18).  11-18 year olds in Clydebank and the surrounding areas will benefit from this funding as will the families of the teen participants, the adult volunteers who help deliver the programme and the wider community. If our young people are given a chance to be a force for good in our community then the ripples of that goodness will affect the whole community.

Dumbarton Shoto Budo is based out of the Concord Community Centre in Dumbarton. At present our group consists of approximately 30 members made up of people aged between 5 and 62. Our primary focus is Self-Defence and all of our sessions are developed around this. This funding will be used to cover the cost of renting the hall and our participants memberships and insurances which at present is our biggest expenditure.

Bags Full of Love is a charity operating in West Dunbartonshire for children in Foster & kinship care. We provide children coming in to care with a backpack filled with new essential items and clothing so that the carer does not have to rush out shopping and can spend quality time getting to know the child in their care, this also gives the child a chance to settle in their new home and have new items just for them which gives comfort on probably the worst day of their lives. The money will be used for buying stock for our bags and for as each bag costs between £70-£100 depending on the childs age.  Last year we distributed 45 bags to children in West Dunbartonshire.