NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Use 8 December 2009 BLAIRGOWRIE & PERTH VOLUNTEERS PRAISED IN PARLIAMENT Young volunteers from Blairgowrie’s Strathmore Centre for Youth Dialogue (SCYD) and the Perth YMCA were praised in the Scottish Parliament after MSP Murdo Fraser lodged a motion congratulating them on their respective successes in ProjectScotland’s recent Voscars 2009 Awards. Kimby Tosh, aged 19 years old, from SCYD won ProjectScotland Outstanding Achievement Award. Kimby finished her ProjectScotland placement in October 2009 and has started up her own alcohol peer support group, become a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament and lodged a petition in the Scottish Parliament and spoken in favour of ProjectScotland to MSPs. Jason Douglas, aged 18 years old, was awarded a Commendation for Arts, Media and Culture. Jason spent six months involved with the ‘Their Past Your Future’ project through Perth YMCA. Their Past Your Future is a nationwide programme connecting different generations by sharing local histories. Jason’s team recorded the memories of war veterans at the Black Watch Regimental Museum. ProjectScotland’s Voscars are the annual awards celebrating personal and community achievements of all the participants across Scotland. MSP Murdo Fraser’s parliamentary motion in the Scottish Parliament reads as: “That the Parliament congratulates all of the winners of the 2009 Voscars, ProjectScotland’s annual awards ceremony that showcases and celebrates young volunteers who have made a real contribution to their communities across Scotland; congratulates Ryan Glen on becoming ProjectScotland Volunteer of the Year, Kimby Tosh for her ProjectScotland Outstanding Achievement Award and Elizabeth Baillie, Jason Douglas, Zoe Jones, Jenna MacGregor, Laura Meikle, Euan Reid, Andy Sloss, James Wallace and Toni Walton on their respective awards and commendations, as well as Frank Miller on becoming ProjectScotland Mentor of the Year and Denise Millan for being a Commended Mentor; believes that it is important that our young people have the opportunity to volunteer and develop real skills through their experience as well as giving something back to the community; commends ProjectScotland on its work to connect young people with volunteer organisations, and praises the organisation for holding the Voscars awards to highlight the good work that young volunteers carry out in Scotland’s communities.” Commenting on the awards, Murdo said: “I congratulate Kimby and Jason on their success at receiving these prestigious awards at ProjectScotland’s Voscars 2009. It is excellent that young people from Perthshire are getting involved in volunteering and that we have individuals excelling in their volunteer work and winning these national awards. “Jason’s work in the ‘Their Past Your Future’ initiative and helping to record the memories of war veterans at the Black Watch Regimental Museum is such a valuable and worthwhile project and I thank him for his work and commitment. “Kimby is now a leading light in the campaign for ProjectScotland. She has lodged a petition which calls on the Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to keep youth volunteering high up the political agenda and to develop and implement a national youth volunteering policy for Scotland. “Perth and Perthshire is producing some of Scotland’s best young volunteers and Kimby and Jason are an inspiration and example to young people who want to get involved with volunteering and to make a difference. “Over 130 young people in Perth & Kinross have benefited from a ProjectScotland placement. Earlier this year, staff and volunteers from the Strathmore Centre for Youth Development (SCYD) in Blairgowrie came to the Scottish Parliament to tell MSPs about the work that ProjectScotland gives to voluntary sector projects like SCYD. “As a result in the cut in funding from the SNP Government to ProjectScotland, only 13 young people were able to carry out volunteer placements in Perth & Kinross in 2008/09 compared to 67 placements in 2007/08. Organisations such as Perth YMCA, who have had a number of excellent volunteers through the programme, are now missing out on having valuable young volunteers. This also means that young people in Perthshire are also missing out on gaining experience – and this is being duplicated across Scotland.” ENDS   back to top of page