14 August 2012 Last updated at 05:36 ET

West Midlands projects share £2.6m lottery funds

A scheme to help young, vulnerable people find work is one of nine West Midland projects to receive a share of £2.6m from the Big Lottery Fund.

Rights and Fairness Telford (RAFT) has been awarded a grant of £323,624 to help young people trying to find work in the Shropshire town.

Patrick Devine, RAFT's chief officer, said the funding was "immensely important to us".

He added the money would be spent employing project staff.

Where the funding has gone

• Stoke on Trent City Council - £339,136
• Malachi Community Trust - £325,368
• RAFT - £323,624
• Birmingham and Solihull Women's Aid - £295,218
• Herefordshire Mind - £290,994
• YMCA Black Country Group - £287,334
• Stoke Bliss and Kyre Village Hall - £286,875
• Unity Young People's Project - £275,127
• Sandwell Young Carers - £239,600

A lottery spokesman said the new posts created in RAFT would oversee a project to raise the self-esteem and confidence of young people who were facing challenges such as being out of work or education, living with a disability or isolated from society.

Mr Devine said the extra money should help fund the project for three years, during which he hoped to work with communities and employers.

He said: "A lot of people don't know this service is out there and don't know who to turn to.

"We want to get young people partnered with a mentor from within the community to help get them into work."