#Chances4Children: Empowerment organisations get share of £1.8m Co-op Foundation grant

Forty-two organisations across England will receive grants from Co-op’s charity, the Co-op Foundation, in its largest #iwill Fund to date.

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The chosen projects will encourage young people to advocate for change in their local communities and help others.

Co-op Foundation has given £1.125m to 17 organisations helping young people with the transition to secondary school. 

A further 16 projects were awarded a share of £421k to support young people with experiences of bereavement and encouraging them to help each other.

Additionally, three organisations which received funding last year will be given a further £209k to build on their work with young people in the local community.

Nick Crofts, the chief executive of Co-op Foundation said: “2020 was a hugely challenging year for the charity sector. So, being able to start 2021 by awarding funding to organisations focusing on empowering young people, is something we’re really proud of.”

The #iwill Fund, launched in November 2016, is a £50m joint investment from the National Lottery Community fund. Co-op Foundation joined the fund in 2017 and has already given over £3m in funds.

Crofts added: “As partners of the #iwill Fund, we believe that youth social action, such as peer-to-peer support, can help young people build their confidence, skills, friendships and sense of community. Funding awarded today will improve young people’s wellbeing at a time when it’s needed more than ever.”

The foundation has also partnered with Co-op Funeralcare to give £120k to six youth projects tackling bereavement in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In a survey into national attitudes to death, dying and bereavement, Co-op found that the younger generation are the most likely to bottle up grief and to be excluded from social arrangements such as funerals when facing grief.

Sam Tryer, managing director at Co-op Funeralcare, said: “Experiencing a bereavement can have a major impact on the life of an individual, and this is even more pronounced when it happens at a young age.”

“The long-term support of others is essential when trying to overcome the hurdles grief entails,” she added. “Co-op Funeralcare has seen first-hand the importance of support groups within the community and we are honoured to be part of this crucial initiative.”