Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) has announced the launch of the new #iwill Fund, a Youth Social Action programme designed to encourage young people to lead change and make a positive contribution to their communities.
Big Lottery Fund and the Department for Culture, Media & Sport are funding this programme over 4 years and HIWCF are awarding grants of £120,000 over 2 years.
#iwill is a UK-wide campaign to get 6 out of 10 young people involved in social action by 2020. The aim is to involve youngsters in activities such as campaigning, fundraising and volunteering in order to develop their skills and knowledge. Youngsters have so much energy, enthusiasm and passion about the world they live in, which can be used towards making a positive difference in their community while at the same time gaining transferable skills that will help them when looking for employment.
The Youth Social Action programme is for those between 10-20 years old, and up to 25 years old for disabled young people. Community groups across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight can apply for grants of between £1,000 – £5,000 and funding will be made available for projects ranging from regular youth volunteering at a care home to creating a social media campaign to promote positive body image. Projects should build and share skills and demonstrate a positive impact on the wider community, while increasing empathy and understanding of the positive impact that young people can make.
Fabian French, CEO of UK Community Foundations said:
“There are so many pulls on a young person’s time as they grow up today. A recent Childwise survey revealed that children spend, on average, 3 hours a day online and 2.1 hours watching TV. That’s over 35 hours a week of screen time – almost the length of a standard job contract. Whilst a balanced lifestyle may include a certain amount of TV and online activity, current levels mean that children and young people are missing out on other activities, including the opportunity to get involved in their community. I feel strongly that we must do all we can to give them the chance to experience the benefits of helping others, something that will enhance their own lives too”.
Jakes Ferguson, CEO of HIWCF said:
“We are delighted to be working with the #iwill Grant Programme which seeks to make social action part of life for 10-20 year olds. Getting youngsters involved in their community at an early age will not only increase their prospects of making a lasting difference to their lives, but also encourage a new generation to be engaged with and proactive in their communities. We are grateful to our generous benefactors who have agreed to match the funding provided by this programme in 2017”.
All eligible groups across Hampshire and Isle of Wight are urged to send in their applications before the closing date of 24th March 2017 via the HIWCF website at https://www.hantscf.org.uk/grants/available-grants/youth-social-action.aspx. Take a look and see if your group is eligible for a grant and read the full fund criteria before applying.
