Shout Out UK awarded youth engagement grant

The grant, previously known as the youth voice groups grant, is run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and welcomes applications for up to £58,350, for projects which “enable more young people to have their voices heard and participate in decision making on a national policy level”.

The next round of the grant, which will run until March next year, has been awarded to Shout Out UK, working in collaboration with Young Voices Heard, Youth Politics UK, Votes for Schools, Opus and Redfield and Wilton Strategies.

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Shout Out UK was launched to embed political education in schools by bringing young people together to talk and learn about politics and will use the grant to set up a youth policy development group.

The previous grant funded the youth steering group and young inspectors group and was delivered by the British Youth Council between 2019 and September this year.

YUGE NEWS YUGE NEWS!

We're H Y P E D to be working with @DCMS to convene a Youth Policy Development Group, enabling young people to be heard by government ministers on issues they care about.

Official PR:https://t.co/lP78vL1a6m#WatchThisSpace for info on getting involved 👀 pic.twitter.com/zarUj2uFri

— Shout Out UK (@Shoutout_UK) October 14, 2021

Matteo Bergamini, chief executive and founder of Shout Out UK, said: “The current climate has shown us all how politics impacts every single aspect of our lives and the reality is, if you don’t do politics, politics will do you. 

“This is why we, at Shout Out UK, believe that every young person has the right to learn how our democracy functions and how to critically analyse the information they receive through political and media literacy education, ensuring they are empowered to have a say on the decisions that impact them. We couldn’t be more honoured to have been selected by DCMS to run this incredible initiative and are excited to work with the young people and ministers to ensure youth voice is embedded within national policymaking.”

James Cathcart, director of Young Voices Heard, who supported Shout Out UK’s application said he was “very much looking forward to collaborating with Shout Out UK and partners to get more young voices heard by decision-makers in government”.

“The last two years have been particularly tough for young people and the challenges they face continue to grow. Their input deserves a meaningful hearing and response.

“It’s therefore encouraging that the first official statement by the new minister Nigel Huddleston MP on his youth brief is to reaffirm the government’s commitment to youth voice and influence.”  

Huddlestone added: “This grant continues to represent a key mechanism for supporting meaningful engagement between young people and decision makers at all levels and we remain committed to funding this activity.”