The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) is a programme currently deli
vered in 143 secondary schools in Scotland by the The Wood Foundation. Each school selects a year group to deliver the programme (between S2-‐S6) which is then split into teams. Each team then researches a local social service issue they feel passionate about and identify an appropriate local grassroots charity. They then work together to create presentations and go through stages before the finalists present in front of a panel of judges, where the group with the most discerning and impassioned argument wins £3000 for their chosen charity. This year £429,000 will be donated in total.
This is the first year that S6 at Dornoch Academy has taken part in the programme since it first began in Scotland in 2008. At the final 3 teams took part representing 3 local charities, TYKES, Common Ground and ESRA.
On the judging panel there were: Councillor Deirdre Mackay, QIO Barry Northedge, RDGC – Scott Aitchison and David Muschamp. All judges were very impressed by the standard of presentation and it was a very close decision.
The winning team, Breagha Hayes, Hannah Geddes, Sam Jones, Siobhan Macdonald and Corin Macleod, impressed the judges with their creative presentation about the work TYKES carry out and their passion for the charity.
Quotes from the winning team
“We are honoured to represent the Tykes charity and all that it stands for. For us, caring and supporting the young people within our community is a top priority.
TYKES provide young carers with time to be themselves and to do things that they want to do. The people who run Tykes do a fantastic job assisting the carers through times of difficulty, offering them a ray of light.
Until recently I hadn’t heard much about Tykes, however, during the YPI project I discovered what a vital part Tykes is in our community. As such, it was a shock to discover what it means to be a young carer and how many people are impacted by this social issue within our community and school.
We are extremely proud to see that our hard work has paid off. Undertaking the YPI project was very eye-opening to the social issues faced by young people within our community. We know how much effort TYKES has put in to support these young people and are thrilled that the money is going to such a deserving charity.”
The winning team present the cheque to Myra Clark Manager at TYKES
Dornoch Academy 