The BIG Lottery has launched its Youth in Focus programme. This offers grants of £500,000 to £1 million. The fund is targeted at supporting vulnerable young people through changes in their lives.

This programme only applies to organisations working with young people that are:

• Young carers - Helping young people between the ages of 10 and 25 to be heard and get better access to practical advice and services, which can support their day to day lives.
• Young people leaving care - Supporting young people between the ages of 15 and 25, so they get better access to education, housing, healthcare and employment advice and services.
• Young people leaving youth offenders' institutions - Helping young people between the ages of 15 and 25 to develop their life skills and get better access to services, particularly young men with learning difficulties and young women.

Additional expectations on applicants include:

To bring about these changes we’ll expect applicants to:

• target one or more of the groups that our Youth in Focus programme aims to support
• involve the young people who will benefit throughout, from the earliest stages
• form a partnership of voluntary, public or private sector organisations with relevant expertise, led by a voluntary sector organisation
• make sure that the benefits of the project carry on after our funding ends, and
• share what they have learnt with us and others.

Work should focus on:

• Improving confidence, skills and knowledge; and
• Providing more effective joined-up support

Eligibility

You can apply to Youth in Focus if you are a partnership led by a voluntary and community sector organisation.

Closing Date:

30th November 2010

More Details

Tel: 0845 4 10 20 30
Email: youthinfocus@biglotteryfund.org.uk; or
Visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk