A GROUP of young people has been given control of more than a quarter of a million pounds to spend on people their own age.

Worcestershire County Council's children and young people's strategic partnership has handed over responsibility for deciding how its £282,374 Youth Opportunity Fund cash is dished out during the next four months.

The scheme, which will give out money to provide more places to go and things to do for 13 to 19-year-olds in the county, has been named Floss - or Funding Lots of Stuff.

Grants of up to £2,500 can be applied for and spent on anything that will benefit groups of young people in some way. The closing date for the first round of applications is midday on Friday, July 14.

Nineteen young people have received trained to be Young Assessors to visit projects to decide which will be given money. They will be looking to make sure projects are based on young people's ideas, that they benefit young people in some way and that they provide value for money.

Nathanael Peters, 13, a member of the Floss Management Group, said: "It is for young people to decide what this money should be spent on as they are the only ones who really know what young people want. Floss is new, Floss is different, Floss is exciting and Floss is special. Floss provides money for young people and it stands for exactly what we want to be doing."

Zara Rowe, aged 16, one of the Young Assessors, added: "This is a great opportunity for young people and it's lots of fun to be involved with it.

"It's really great that young people are being given the power and responsibility to decide something as important as this."

Any group looking to apply for funding should contact 01905 773742. Young people can also contact this number if they would like to get involved with the running of the Youth Opportunity Fund or if they are interested in becoming a Young Assessor.