UK Community Foundations is leading a £3m match funding initiative to support projects to improve the lives of young people leaving care.

The aim is for the funding to provide non-statutory support to care leavers that cash strapped councils have had to cut back on in recent years.

The initiative is being led and managed by UKCF and backed by asset management firm CCLA.

Community foundations are being urged to bid for funding of £50,000 a year, which is being provided by CCLA for three years.

In return successful community foundations need to pledge to match this amount.

It is estimated that through the initiative £3m worth of funding can be available to support care leavers.

Funding is set to provide educational and training bursaries, financial support, travel, furniture, and other household purchases.

Driving lessons, art visit and health and wellbeing expenses are also included.

“We are delighted to be part of this first concerted nationwide opportunity to shore up care leavers at a crucial crossroads in their lives,” said UKCF chief executive Rosemary Macdonald.

“We are keen to make the impact as practical and wide as possible for these young adults.”

Successful community foundations are set to collaborate with local authorities on the best way to use funding locally.

More than 11,000 young people become care leavers each year, and while councils provide a wide range of support, the more that our communities can wrap around our young people and help them as they move into adulthood, the more opportunities they will have to thrive,” added Shaun Davies, chair of council representative body Local Government Association.

To find out more about the Care Leavers Programme, email: comms@ukcommunityfoundations.org

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