UK Youth Parliament contract applications open

Charities, benevolent and philanthropic organisations are eligible to apply to win the one-year contract previously held by the British Youth Council.

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The two-week application process is being overseen by the Office for Civil Society and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and closes on 26 March.

Official application documents state that up to £183,300 of the grant is expected to fund the core costs of the programme while up to £50,000 is to ensure young people from the devolved nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can participate in elections, induction, training and associated activities.

Key criteria for applications includes: 

• applications should be for up to £233,300

• applicants should be able to demonstrate that they can deliver activity across multiple regions in England, and also in the devolved nations

• applicants should be able to demonstrate that delivery can continue under a range of Covid-19 restrictions

• applicants must be able to draw down and deliver all funded activity by 31st March 2022

• applicants should demonstrate that they will be able to secure external investment and partnerships to supplement this grant.

Meanwhile, the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), the #iwill Fund - a joint investment between The National Lottery Community Fund and DCMS - and the Co-op have announced a partnership investing £5.1 million to help tackle youth violence.

The joint investment aims to build a network of peer researchers, aged 16 to 25 with lived-experience of youth violence, who will find out about other young people’s experiences and provide solutions which may include campaigning to improve local mental health services, setting up a youth centre or supporting young people into employment.

Jon Yates, executive director of the Youth Endowment Fund, said: “This partnership is critical to achieving our mission of keeping young people safe from violence.

“At the Youth Endowment Fund, we’re dedicated to finding the programmes and practices that help keep young people safe. To do that we must listen and empower the young people most affected by violence. Their voices must be at the heart of decision-making.”