The Govan Youth Information Project (GYIP) is running its annual summer holiday programme from Riverside Primary School, with sports days, bouncy castles, arts and crafts, and more throughout the six-week break.

Established in 1994, GYIP delivers empowering and meaningful youth work to children and young people within the Govan area. Its holiday programme was recently supported by a £30,000 funding grant awarded to the charity through the Glasgow Community Anchors’ Fund – a partnership between the HFD Charitable Foundation and Virgin Money Foundation.

Free hot meals are being offered to participating children through the charity’s tuck shop, and households will be provided with back-to-school and supermarket vouchers. The programme also includes a residential trip to Belfast, helping to educate young people on sectarianism and the history of The Troubles.

Workers at the charity are hoping to relocate their offices at the start of next year. The team – which is made up of three qualified youth workers and supported by a number of volunteers – is searching for larger facilities to accommodate the surge in demand amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Along with its summer holiday programme, other initiatives delivered by the charity include a positive role model scheme, workshops in schools that tackle challenging subjects like drugs and alcohol, and street work projects that address youth street culture.

Kevin Burke, project manager at GYIP, said: “The summer holidays are a particularly difficult time for many families, now more so than ever with rising costs of childcare, food and other essentials. Next year marks 30 years since the project first started, and we’re more in demand than we’ve ever been with no signs of slowing down.

“The support from the Glasgow Community Anchors’ Fund means we are able to deliver more activities through our summer holiday programme, and we are also hoping to put some of the funds towards the new office. Some groups struggle to get youngsters in and off the streets, but we’re trying to find enough room for them. The bigger space will allow us to host more drop-ins and youth work groups – we want to make sure they’re given the best start in life and a safe space to socialise and relax.”

Lauren McKenzie, ambassador for the HFD Charitable Foundation, said: “The work of GYIP is making a huge difference to the lives of young people in the G51 area, teaching them invaluable skills and providing essential support to families during the summer holidays. The Glasgow Community Anchors’ Fund was set up to support fantastic causes like this that are positively impacting local communities.”

Nancy Doyle-Hall, executive director at the Virgin Money Foundation, added: “Govan Youth Information Project (GYIP) are making a huge difference in their local community thanks to the grant they received from the Community Anchors’ Fund. The summer holiday programme is an amazing initiative providing local children with a range of activities including sports days and arts and crafts as well as hot meals. The summer break can be a stressful time for many families due to the rising cost of living and childcare and GYIP are helping to alleviate that stress by running their free summer holiday programme.”