Youth opportunity fund

Connexions Kent and Medway - Community Chest

The Community Chest is a funding stream designed to support voluntary and community organisations to deliver projects which contribute towards the objectives of the Connexions Service across Kent and Medway.

Connexions Kent & Medway is a government funded service for all young people providing information, advice, guidance, support and personal development services for all 13 - 19 year olds, and young people up to 25 with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities.

Connexions Kent & Medway make grants to voluntary and community organisations operating in Kent & Medway. Applications are welcome from both small local groups as well as larger organisations.

Kent Children's Fund - Community Chest

The Kent Children's Fund (KCF) operates a number of Community Chest schemes to support local projects in specific districts, for example Maidstone (Shepway estate, Parkwood).

All projects should target 5-13 year olds and either:

Promote attendance at school
Improve emotional & psychological wellbeing
Reduce child health inequalities & promote social inclusion
Help children & young people to achieve their potential by developing life skills & citizenship

Maximum grants available to projects vary (£150 in Maidstone) but larger grants above these thresholds will be considered.

Email: paul@kentchildrensfund.net

Telephone: 01303 244507

Young people's grant - grants to organisations

Administered by the Big Lottery Fund, this grants scheme is for projects involving young people aged 11- 18, and also projects specifically aimed at disadvantaged young people up to the age of 25 who find the transition to independent adult life difficult.

Grants are between £5,000 and £150,000 over a three-year period. £40 million is available to fund voluntary and community organisations, (partnerships between voluntary and statutory organisations may also apply).

Projects must achieve two or more of the Young People's Fund outcomes:

Being healthy: enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle.
Staying safe: being protected from harm and neglect and growing up able to look after themselves.
Enjoying and achieving: getting the most out of life and developing skills for adulthood.
Making a positive contribution: to the community and to society and not offending and behaving anti-socially.
Economic well being: overcoming socio-economic disadvantages to achieve their full potential in life.

Find out more on the Big Lottery Fund's website.

Lankelly Chase Organisation - Summer Playschemes

This initiative provides grants for summer playschemes for children between the ages of 5-13 years.

Preference is given to small local playschemes lasting 4-6 weeks and groups planning special activities for youngsters who are disadvantaged or who have a disability. Grants range from £200-£500.

Find out more on the Lankelly Chase website

Telephone: 01235 820044

Alec Dickson Trust

Awards of up to £250 to people under 30 to kickstart volunteering projects which will improve the lives of marginalised people.

Email: thealecdicksontrust@talk21.com

Help Yourselves

Grants programme run by British Gas and Save the Children to support projects giving children and young people a chance to change their communities and make a real difference to other young people dealing with issues relating to health, play and leisure and education.

Email: helpyourselves@savethechildren.org.uk

Sport Relief Conflict Programme

Programme aims to support projects working to reduce tension and conflict and tackle divisions between young people in geographical areas across the UK. It invites applications from partnerships of organisations who will use sport and lesisure activities to engage young people and help them address the divisions and conflicts they experience in their communities. There will be a funding round targeting specific geographical areas at the end of 2005.

UnLtdAwards

Awards scheme offering grants of between £500 and £5,000 for projects initiated by individuals or small group of people aged 16 or over which benefit themselves and their communities. UnLtd will also deliver the Big Lottery Fund's Big Boost programme, which awards grants of between £250 and £5,000 to help individuals and small group of young people aged between 11 and 25 years old deliver projects in their local areas.

Telephone: 0845 850 1122

Find out more on the UnLtdAwards website