Brighter Futures Fund – Guidance Note

Research from Impetus has previously found that young people from a ‘disadvantaged’ background are 50% more likely to be NEET (not in education, employment, and training) than better-off peers, irrespective of their education outcome. This underscores the pressing need for proactive measures that address the systemic inequalities faced by these young individuals as they enter the next stage of life. At the same time, young people have been chronically underinvested in over recent years, further widening the gap in inequality in our borough.

The Bright Futures Fund, powered by Google.org and administered by Young Camden Foundation, aims to enhance opportunities, digital skills, and address the youth jobs and skills gap for children and young people in Camden, and support YCF’s membership to deliver this work, via specifically targeted youth work projects among specialist organisations that improve the employment outcomes and professional skills of young people in the borough to improve employment opportunities for young people in our borough.

This fund provides financial support to Camden-based YCF member organisations to fund existing or new programmes of work around employability and digital skills, enabling them to design and implement innovative projects focused on enhancing life and digital skills for employment prospects.

Eligibility

Please note, the Bright Futures Fund is only open to applications from full YCF members (those that are headquartered in Camden). We will not be able to accept applications from organisations who have not yet applied for membership or whose membership is still being processed. If you are not a member and would like to apply for a grant, you will need to submit a membership request, and only once this process has been completed and your membership has been approved should you complete and submit an application for funding.

Funding

We invite funding applications for projects which serve the following purposes across different age ranges (though this is not an exhaustive list so do get in touch if you have any questions):

• Employment Preparation: Support young people in developing essential skills for employment, including CV writing, interview techniques, and workplace readiness.
• Digital Skills Enhancement: Equip children and young people with essential digital skills, including coding, digital literacy, and online safety.
• Mentorship and Coaching: Provide mentorship and coaching programs that guide young individuals towards their career goals and personal growth.
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Foster entrepreneurial skills and innovation among young people, encouraging creativity and self-initiative.
• Life Skills Workshops: Deliver workshops addressing essential life skills such as financial literacy, communication, time management, and resilience.
• Preparatory work: foundation building work with primary school aged children supporting opportunities and aspirations

We encourage applications that are innovative, responsive to identified youth needs, and promote meaningful engagement with Camden's diverse communities. Projects should align with the objectives of the Bright Futures Fund, aiming to create a positive impact on the lives of children and young people, preparing them for a brighter future.

We will not fund:

• Projects which are not relevant to the theme of the fund
• Ticket prices for non-educational off-site excursions

• Youth work or play provision that your organisation delivers and would continue to deliver on a regular basis. Applications will be considered for funding to continue or grow existing projects.

We will consider applications within the range of £20,000 to £30,000. Applications falling above this range will not be taken into consideration, but applications falling just below the range may be considered. We anticipate granting between 3 and 6 awards, making the selection process highly competitive.

We will prioritise applications that demonstrate at least some of the following:

• A clear rationale for the programme, with clear outputs around employability themes (see the above themes)
• Clear programme, with times, locations, activities, staffing numbers and expected number of participants
• Clear and reasonable budget
• Clear and compelling explanation of the need for the project, and needs within a particular group of children and young people, particularly those from marginalised or disadvantaged backgrounds
• Evidence provided where requested
• Innovative, creative and promising provision
• Depth and/or breadth of impact
• Programmes or provision that are likely to appeal to children and young people and encourage consistent participation and engagement

The application window will open on 18^th September 2023 and close on 17^th October 2023. Applicants can expect to be informed of the outcome of their submissions during the week of 23^rd October 2023. All funded projects or work should be completed by 22^nd November 2024, with reporting obligations due by 29^th November 2024. Meeting the reporting deadline is crucial, and applicants who foresee challenges in meeting this timeframe are advised not to apply.

We will be hosting a webinar to provide more information on the fund and answer questions from interested applicants on 27^th September 2023. This session will be recorded and accessible to watch afterwards. You can sign-up for the webinar via this link. After 27^th September, please contact us to receive the recording.

If you have any questions, please contact Sam at grants@youngcamdenfoundation.org.uk.

To apply, please click the link below.