News31 October 2024

£250k in funding awarded to social action projects for young housing association residents

The projects will offer opportunities to develop new skills and build confidence, bringing older and younger residents together, and explore ways to create more connected communities across generations.

Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group, has announced the latest round of funding for projects providing social action opportunities for young residents.

Working with Places for People and Sovereign Network Group, Clarion Futures has identified 23 organisations that will deliver Community Ambassador Programmes (CAPs) for 5-20-year-olds, connecting generations and embedding youth social action in communities from Bradford to Bristol.

These 12-month youth-led projects will offer opportunities to develop new skills and build confidence, bringing older and younger residents together to collaborate on initiatives to tackle local issues, and explore ways to create more connected communities across generations.

In total, £249,000 has been awarded to organisations including:

Foundation 92 in Salford, which is an independent registered charity that focuses on supporting communities to improve their lives through sport, education and bespoke projects, with an emphasis on positive physical and mental wellbeing.
Isle of Wight-based Network Ryde – Ryde Town Council’s award-winning youth service offering support, advice, and guidance to all young people along with supplying a safe space at their youth centre in Ryde; and
The Digital Story Company CIC based in Waltham Forest who use screen storytelling to illustrate and celebrate social history, bringing people together to engage in cultural and artistic activities.

The first stage of the projects will be working with local residents, both young and old, to identify challenges facing the community before agreeing ways to make improvements.

In 2023/24 through the intergenerational Community Ambassadors Programme, partners engaged more than 330 young people and 280 older adults, delivering more than 6,500 hours of social action. Projects included intergenerational sessions in care homes, the creation of a wheelchair accessible boardwalk on Ryde beach, and a community fun day with activities designed for all ages to bring local people together.

The programme will be funded by the participating housing associations with additional support from the #iwill Fund, made possible by a £66 million joint investment from The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to support young people to access high quality social action opportunities.

Phil Miles, Director of Clarion Futures, said:

“We’re excited to be launching this new phase of our long-running youth social action programme which focuses on changing perceptions. Working alongside trusted partners who are deeply rooted in their communities, through early engagement with social action we hope that this programme will help create a habit for life for young residents.

“Collaboration between generations has been shown to have such positive effects, and so this remains at the heart of the programme, with projects designed to bring people together to tackle shared challenges.”

Jolanta Molloy, #iwill Fund Funding Manager, added:

“Both bringing communities together and helping children and young people to thrive are among our core missions at The National Lottery Community Fund.

“This initiative, made possible thanks to National Lottery players and DCMS, will empower young people to take important social action in their community, addressing issues that matter to both them and fellow residents throughout their local area.”

The full list of organisations is as follows:

The Digital Story Company CIC (Waltham Forest) – employing the craft of screen storytelling to illustrate and celebrate social history, creating opportunities for people to engage in cultural and artistic activities; to reduce isolation, build connections, nurture skills and enhance understanding about their own rich communities and preserve and protect their environment.
Young Ealing Foundation (Ealing) – an organisation that connects and equips grassroots youth charities, supporters, and decision makers to open up a brighter future for Ealing’s children and young people.

Babylon ARTS (Ely) – the lead consortium partner for MarketPlace: a project which has people at its heart and is about experiencing and enjoying creativity in Fenland and Forest Heath.
Fusion (Huntingdon) – an organisation running youth clubs both during term time and also during the school holidays, providing different activities for children and young people to take part in at each club.
HKA (Nottingham) – award-winning youth organisation, helping young people get a better start in life.
Pitch 2 Progress (Birmingham) – a civil society organisation created to unite young people through their love of sport, with those attending sessions coming from a range of backgrounds, religions and ethnicities.
St Neot’s Youth Council (St Neot’s) – an organisation representing young people aged 11-18 in St Neot’s that believes that young people should have a say on the issues that affect their lives, providing a platform for young people to voice their opinions and work with decision-makers across the town, working together to improve the community and build a better future.

e:merge (Bradford) – committed to delivering inspiring, holistic youth work in community settings and local schools, aiming towards personal growth, better physical and mental wellbeing, positive engagement in education and to actively transform the communities young people live within.
Foundation 92 (Salford) – an independent registered charity that focuses on supporting communities to improve their lives through sport, education and bespoke projects, with an emphasis on positive physical and mental wellbeing.
Junior Sports Hub (Leeds) – an activity centre for the local community of Harehills, which is a user-friendly environment and also open to all groups and members of the community.
MASKK (Sheffield) – a growing local charity, started in 1999 by local people, that provides a range of activities for children and families in the Manor and Castle area of Sheffield including affordable childcare, kids clubs, family activities, short breaks for children with disabilities, events and volunteering opportunities.
Mill Bank Wellbeing Centre (Preston) – Mill Bank provides invaluable support to families of all backgrounds, helping them overcome the barriers to living life in the community, including debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, domestic violence, seeking refuge, and child services involvement.
One Manchester (Manchester) – One Manchester own and manage over 12,000 homes in central, south and east Manchester. They have one purpose: to provide good quality homes, great services, and real opportunities for our customers and communities.
The Youth Association (Wakefield) – working across Yorkshire since 1904 to provide a wide range of opportunities for young people, from fun activities to life-changing skills development.

Berkshire Youth (Reading) – Berkshire Youth help with the transition from childhood to young adulthood, supporting young people to reach their full potential and make a positive contribution to their communities.
Chichester Boys’ Club (Chichester) – providing a safe and welcoming environment for young people and adults to enjoy and participate in interesting and fun activities.
Chichester Community Development Trust (Chichester) – enabling connection, opportunity, and cohesion by making inspiration filled spaces that people need to bring a community to life.
Mafia Weekend CIC (Winchester) – an organisation that aims to foster community engagement, creativity, and social connection through arts and storytelling.
Network Ryde (Isle of Wight) – Ryde Town Council’s award-winning youth service offering support, advice, and guidance to all young people along with supplying a safe space at their youth centre.
Slough Hub (Slough) – a community hub to support the mental, physical and economic wellbeing of residents in Slough through the creation of meaningful work and volunteering opportunities that benefit the people or environment.
TRAIN (Didcot) – an organisation that exists to improve the life opportunities of young people aged 10 to 18 in Didcot and Wallingford, especially those who are in need, disadvantaged or vulnerable, by empowering them to make informed decisions, attain stability, and become integrated members of society.
Transition Chipping Norton (Chipping Norton) – promotes and develops local solutions for sustainable communities, helping local communities to thrive and be resilient in the face of challenges and changes to our climate, environment, economy, and society.
Young Bristol (Bristol) – a mission-led, values driven charity, with a focus on supporting young people aged 8-25 during their critical out of school hours.

£250k in funding awarded to social action projects for young housing association residents

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