We are delighted to be helping to deliver the government’s Youth Investment Fund (YIF) alongside Social Investment Business, The Key Fund and Resonance.
About the Youth Investment Fund
Launched in August 2022, the funding will see over £300 million invested in refurbishment and capital projects to support the sustainability of youth work projects across the country by 2025. It is designed to target some of the most deprived areas in England where need is high and provision is low.
To date the programme has committed £260.5 million to 262 youth work organisations, with some 68 sites undergoing development, including 22 refurbishments.
In total of up to 300 facilities are expected to benefit. The focus is on projects delivering open access youth work in a range of ways for young people aged 11 to 18 (or up to 25 for those with special educational needs or disabilities).
”“I wanted to be a Young Assessor for the ability to give something back. I feel like youth work has really impacted my life and made me who I am today, and I love the idea of being able to help other young people generate the spaces that will allow them to be who they are.”
Harrison HumbyYouth Project Assessor Mentor (formerly a Young Assessor)
Our key roles
The National Youth Agency is playing two key roles in the process:
1. Recruiting and supporting young people to help with the assessment process and development plans.
We recruited and trained 17 Young Assessors to help narrow down applications and decide where funds should be allocated.
The young people, aged between 16 and 24, met weekly to review applications. They came from a range of backgrounds, but all shared a passion for youth work and a desire to widen the opportunities for other young people across the country.
Now that the assessment process has ended, young people are still involved in giving feedback on grantees’ development plans. We’re working with a team of 11 young people, three of the original team known as YIF mentors, and eight new Youth Project Assessors who are working with our Youth Work Specialists to ensure the high quality of youth service delivery by grantees.
2. Specialist support to help grantees develop high quality projects that really deliver.
During the application process, our Quality Practice Panel, made up of Youth Work Specialists and Governance experts, also reviewed applications and offered feedback and advice to potential grantees.
Now a small team of Youth Work Specialists are working with 132 recipients of YIF grants to enhance the quality of the youth work practice within their new or improved facilities and ensure that their grant is not just going towards bricks and mortar, but enabling the facilities to deliver safe, participative, professional high-quality youth work.
We support them to create detailed development plans, which meet the defined Quality Standards for the YIF to ensure they reflect the very best open access youth work practice.
Through a series of 1:1 meetings, site visits and information webinars we’re ensuring that every penny of the funding will have maximum impact for young people.
”“It’s a gratifying role. You feel like you are really making a change all across the UK”
William AwomoyiYoung Assessor
”“I became a mentor because I wanted to ensure that young people are at the centre of the youth clubs being supported and also to grow my skills further."
Nadia JonesYouth Project Assessor Mentor
”"I know what effective and positive youth work looks like and I feel very passionately about demonstrating this to all young people, making them feel as valued and important as they are.”
Kiera FinneyYouth Project Assessor Mentor
For further information, including the stories of successful applicants, go to the main YIF website.
