The BYC will receive funding of £750,000 to run the youth parliament, which supports around 300 elected Members of Youth Parliament aged between 11 and 18 years, until March 2025, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced.
According to guidance for parties interested in applying for the grant - applications for which closed in December - “up to £650,000 of the grant is expected to fund the core costs of the programme, while up to £100,000 should ensure young people from the devolved nationscan participate in the programme”.
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The BYC has been awarded a further £10,000 to continue running the Youth Select Committee which offers scrutiny to the government on some of the biggest issues facing young people.
The committee, supported by UK parliament, has investigated racism and religious discrimination, the knife crime epidemic and the effects of body image on young people, according to BYC.
Responding to the announcement, Zara Khan, chair of the British Youth Council said: “This is a great opportunity for the BYC to continue equipping young people with the skills and opportunities to influence the change we wish to see in society.
“Young people are passionate about the issues they face alongside their peers and their wider communities. The continuation of our funding to UK Youth Parliament and our wider youth voice activities is an important signal to young people that their voices matter.”
Jo Hobbs, chief executive of the British Youth Council, added: “We are proud of our history in developing and delivering this work with and for young people across the UK. Young people being heard and engaged at the heart of decision making is crucial to ensuring that no young person is left behind.”
The grant received by the BYC reveals a marked increase compared with the 2021/22 offer, also won by the organisation, which allocated just £233,300 to fund the costs of the youth parliament for one year.
The new tender also stipulates the need for an independent evaluation of the programme’s success backed by DCMS funding of £80,000 per financial year.
