Starbucks Youth Action
Neil Puffett
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
What is it? Starbucks Youth Action is a global funding initiative from the coffee shop company designed to promote local youth activities and volunteering. Its UK fund is being run in partnership with UK Youth. The fund supports young people to bring to life projects that mean something to them, as well as offering training to young people on managing a budget, working with volunteers and project management. Now in its fourth year, the fund has supported more than 100 youth-led projects in 10 cities in the UK and Ireland.
How much is on offer? Up to £2,000 is available for each project.
What will it fund? Funding is available for projects aimed at 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK and Ireland. Its focus is on urban areas. To be eligible, projects must operate in the following Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Leeds, London or Manchester. Applicants will need to prove the project is unique to the community and list issues it will address. Potential deal breakers such as gaining planning permission will need to be already in place. The project will ideally need to benefit up to 60 members of the applicant's community.
Successful projects have included a cyberbullying initiative in Cardiff and a cheer-leading scheme in Kensington. Cardiff-based Fairwater and Pentrebane Community Angling Club gained funding for a project to take disadvantaged young people on trips. Another to win funding was the Skelton Grange Environment Centre in Leeds, where access ramps and handrails to improve access were needed.
