I first got involved with YouthBank a few years ago. I was involved with a child foster care group called Caravan Kids and I was doing a pottery class when a lady called Sue told me about the Youth Opportunity Fund. She wanted me to help look at the grant applications that came in and be one of the young people that decided who got the money.

I enjoy sitting on the YouthBank panels, but it can be hard work reading through everything. It’s definitely made me more confident though.

Last week I was in Hastings helping to train a new panel of young people who will be looking at grants for their area. They asked lots of questions and I realised I knew more than I thought I did. Everything just clicked into place when I had to explain how the grants worked and I enjoyed doing it.

The advice I’d give to young people who are applying for a grant? Well, I like to actually ‘see’ the projects. So, when people send in lots of pictures and do a nice colourful presentation then it makes it more interesting for me to go through the applications. I like seeing photos of the young people behind the bids – it makes them seem more real, if you know what I mean.

Jade, 18, from Eastbourne

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