Salford youth services urged to act fast ahead of funding deadline

Youth services in Salford have been urged to take advantage of generous grant funding, with the deadline for applications looming.

As part of a government drive to support youth work in England, the Better Youth Spaces fund has been allocated £30.5 million, which it will distribute across 42 priority areas, including Salford.

But with applications having to be submitted ahead of the deadline, at midnight on Sunday 21 September, eligible youth services have been told to act fast to secure their share of the grant by the organisation managing the fund, Social Investment Business.

The fund offers grants between £5000 and £100,000 to be spent on improving equipment, vehicles, or small-scale refurbishment projects to improve facilities for young people.

Eligible services should have at least 50% of provision for children/ young people, and a significant proportion must be open access youth provision for children and young people aged 11 to 18 years (or up to 25 years if they have special educational needs or disabilities, are leaving care, or considered ‘at risk’ or vulnerable). 

Rob Benfield, Director of Investments at Social Investment Business, said: “This funding is a chance to invest in young people – whether that’s creating safer spaces, improving facilities, or making it easier for young people to take part in activities. We strongly encourage local organisations to apply before the deadline so that young people don’t miss out.”

Better Youth Spaces highlight that applications could be made for a whole range of schemes to benefit young people, including equipment such as pool tables, kayaks, musical instruments or gymnastics, dance, film making or recording equipment. Vehicles could also be funded, such as a minibus or mobile unit.

Beyond new equipment and vehicles, applications could include funding to kit out a space with sofas, revamp and refurbish a building or room for new use, or make it safer and more accessible with mobile ramps, CCTV or a new landscaped sensory garden.

Better Youth Spaces funding is available to not-for-profit youth organisations in 42 priority areas, selected by the government based on the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) at upper tier local authority level.

More information on how to apply for Better Youth Spaces funding can be viewed here.