Lead the Change awards £2.6 million to support young people build stronger communities

BBC Children in Need, in partnership with Co-op Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Smith Foundation, Joseph Levy Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Postcode Justice Trust, UK Community Foundations and The National Lottery Community Fund, has announced the first recipients of funding through Lead the Change.

A total of £2.6 million has been awarded to 21 organisations across the UK to support local projects that will empower young people to build stronger connections within their communities, address division and drive positive social change.  This latest funding announcement marks the programme's first phase and highlights the programme's commitment to supporting youth-led initiatives tackling some of the key challenges facing communities across the UK.

The 21 youth-led projects were selected by a panel of 10 young grant makers, aged 19-25, from across the UK, bringing a diverse range of backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences to the decision-making process.

The newly funded organisations will work alongside young people to create safe and inclusive spaces, support youth-led social action, build leadership skills and encourage meaningful participation in community life.  Through workshops, mentoring, community projects and opportunities to influence decision making, young people will be empowered to challenge harmful narratives, strengthen positive relationships and drive change in their local communities.

Claire Hoyle, CEO at BBC Children in Need, said:

"Young people want to be part of the solution to the challenges facing their communities.  Through Lead the Change, we are supporting their ideas, their leadership and their vision for a more connected future.  The organisations receiving funding will help create opportunities for young people to come together, build understanding across differences and take meaningful action on the issues that matter most to them. We are proud to work alongside our funding partners to encourage the power of young people to strengthen communities and create lasting change."

Sam Grimmett Batt, Director of Partnerships and Insight at UK Community Foundations, said:

"Good grant making brings decisions closer to the people and places it serves. By connecting the perspectives and experiences of young people with the local knowledge of community foundations, Lead the Change is responding to the distinct challenges and possibilities within each community.  Lead the Change will enable us to learn from the young people involved and use that insight to shape stronger funding and practice, both within this programme and beyond.”

As well as supporting youth-led activities and development opportunities, Lead the Change gives young people a direct voice in where funding is allocated through a dedicated youth panel.

The £2.6 million awarded through phase one is the first step in the wider Lead the Change programme, which aims to support local organisations working with young people and strengthen community cohesion through youth-led action.