The charity’s Thriving Minds fund, launched in partnership with the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, has been created in response to research which shows concerns of youth workers over the increase of poor mental health in young people.
Staff across the UK Youth movement, which includes more than 8,000 youth organisations, have reported seeing significant rises in young people seeking help with their mental health, the charity says, but long delays in starting treatment and some children’s fear of speaking to medical professionals mean many are not getting the help they need.
The Thriving Minds programme is open to UK-based charitable and not-for-profit organisations with an annual income under £500,000 whose primary purpose is to benefit young people aged eight to 25.
It will offer unrestricted grants of between £15,000 and £50,000 per year for up to three years to support organisations to improve their mental health provision.
Ndidi Okezie, chief executive of UK Youth, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Julia and Hans Rausing for their partnership and unfailing belief in the power of youth work as the catalyst for change that young people need now more than ever.
“Not only have they recognised the urgency to respond with revenue funding now, but they have also shone a much-needed light on the pivotal role that youth workers play in supporting young people at all stages of life, including at times of crisis.
“There is an opportunity here to innovate what collaboration looks like across multiple sectors and deliver a model that pushes the boundaries of what traditional funding distribution looks like.”
Julia and Hans Rausing said the fund is a continuation of its £8m Youth Centre Recovery Fund launched last year.
“During our work with UK Youth, we established there is a real need for youth workers to support young people at such important stages of their lives.
“We hope that The UK Youth Fund – Thriving Minds and the £10m funding will be another example of how good quality, targeted youth work can make a real difference to young people across the UK,” they added.
Meanwhile, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has revealed plans to launch a consultation this summer over plans to use dormant funds from insurance, pensions, investment and wealth management, and securities sectors to boost youth services.
Youth activities, run under the government’s National Youth Guarantee as part of its levelling up agenda, are among areas suggested to benefit from the £880m tied up as part of the Dormant Assets Bill, which is expected to be passed by parliament today (28 February).
