Youth social action has huge potential to create enjoyable opportunities and skills development for young people, benefitting local people and places.
The aim of this grant is to raise the level and quality of youth social action. The programme aim is to increase youth social action by 50% by 2020 taking the percentage of young people that volunteer from 40% to 60%.
Social action involves activities such as campaigning, fundraising and volunteering, all of which enable participants to make a positive difference to their communities.
Social action develops the skills and knowledge of young people that employers look for.
The definition of young people is between 10 and 20, and up to 25 for disabled young people.
Big Lottery Fund and the Office for Civil Society have invested £2million this year to fund groups delivering local youth social action opportunities. Local fundraising is also a key part of the Youth Social Action programme.
Download criteria (PDF)1. A copy of the group’s rules or constitution
2. A copy of the group’s latest annual accounts or income/expenditure document
3. A copy of a recent bank statement for your group
4. A copy of the group’s current Safeguarding Policy. All applicants must ensure that they hold relevant policies and procedures in place to undertake activities, such as Criminal Records Bureau checks and/or a health and safety policy, depending on proposed activity. If unsure about what you need please contact the Community Foundation for help (details below)
The following items cannot be supported via the fund:
- Statutory organisations or work that is their responsibility
- National organisations that cannot demonstrate local governance and control of local finances
- Commercial ventures
- CIC’s Limited by Shares
- Purchase/maintenance of vehicles
- Activities that will have already taken place before we offer you a grant
- Politically connected or exclusively religious activities
- Projects for personal profit
- Organisations that are set up for the benefit of animals or plants: environmental groups that work with animals or the environment (such as city farms) are acceptable
- Groups comprising just one family or those that have less than 3 Trustees/Management Committee/Directors
- Debts and other liabilities
- Reclaimable VAT
- Travel outside UK
What happens next?
Completed applications are considered by Community Foundation staff to check eligibility. You may be contacted for more information after applying and a decision making panel will make recommendations based on the fund’s criteria and the budget available.
