Youth social action fund receives £12m boost

The National Lottery Community Fund and government are to plough an additional £12m into their #iwill youth social action fund.

Both the NLCF and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have announced they will each invest an extra £6m into the fund, bringing the total investment to £66m since it launched in 2016.

The Fund is a collaboration that involves 30 match funders to develop projects to encourage community participation and social action among young people.

“We know that participation in social action, such as volunteering, fundraising, and campaigning, can have a transformative impact on the lives of young people,” said charities minister Nigel Huddleston.

“The #iwill Fund is creating projects and programmes to make this happen, so I'm very pleased that this £12 million funding boost will significantly enhance the opportunities for young people to learn and come together across the country.”

NLCF chief executive David Knott added: “The work of the #iwill Fund has had an incredible impact on young people over the last six years, helping to develop their skills and capacity to significantly contribute to their community.”

This month Sovereign Housing Association was among #iwill match funders to announce funding for youth social action.

It is offering grants of up to £10,000 to projects near to its 60,000 UK wide homes as part of a two-year £450,000 scheme with #iwill to support young people.

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