Government announces £80m funding boost for youth sector
Melanie May | 22 September 2016 | News
The Government has announced a £80m boost for the youth sector as part of the launch of its new Youth Investment Fund.
The funding will come from the Government and The Big Lottery Fund and aims to “open up opportunities for young people to get involved in their communities and gain new experiences, to support their personal development, build character and help them succeed in the future.” Local voluntary youth groups will be able to bid for a share of the funding.
£40 million will go towards the new Youth Investment Fund, targeting disadvantaged communities across England, while an additional £40 million will provide continued support for Step Up to Serve’s #iwill youth social action campaign. Initiatives will be jointly delivered by the Government and the Big Lottery Fund.
[youtube height=”450″width=”800″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=162AJojCNw8[/youtube]
The Youth Investment Fund will be open to projects in targeted disadvantaged communities, with funding available up to 2020 to help organisations invest and plan for the future. Young people will be involved in the design and decision-making of the new fund, with the first awards expected to be made in spring 2017.
In addition, the Government and Big Lottery Fund will each invest a further £20 million in Step Up to Serve’s #iwill campaign by the end of 2020.
Prime minister Theresa May said:
“This new funding will be a huge boost for youth groups across the country – giving young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the opportunity to gain the experiences and skills they need to succeed in life.”
Funding information on the funding is available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.