£472,680 boost for Merseyside youth: 10,000+ young people to benefit from YES Fund to prevent crime and transform futures

More than 10,000 young people across Merseyside are set to benefit from a major investment in grassroots youth initiatives this summer and beyond.

This week, 27 local organisations have found out their application for a share of a £472,680 funding grant has been successful, as the game-changing Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES Fund) returns for a second time.

From drama and creative writing programmes to help teenagers in some of Merseyside’s most deprived areas express themselves and avoid negative influences, to football, boxing and tennis training, to mental health outreach, forest schools and sessions that improve employment opportunities, the successful projects span all five boroughs of Merseyside, with a focus on the areas most affected by violence and cuts to youth services.

One successful project, set to be delivered by the Florrie in L8, is even offering young people the chance to transform a community barge into a floating youth hub on Liverpool’s canals, building relationships and reducing isolation.

Jointly funded by the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, and the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP), this year’s round of YES funding follows a successful 2024/25 programme which supported 30 projects to reach more than 11,600 young people with free, safe, and engaging activities during key times of the year, including the summer holidays and autumn half term.

Through one-off grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 the YES Fund is set up to divert young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour.

It will also play a key role in supporting the wider Government-backed Safer Streets Summer campaign, creating safer public spaces, reducing tensions in communities, whilst offering alternatives to those at risk of being drawn into criminality.

The YES Fund is a powerful example of how we can work together to create real, lasting change in our communities.

By supporting grassroots organisations that know their neighbourhoods best, we’re giving young people the chance to access safe spaces, build confidence, and develop the skills they need to succeed.

This funding isn’t just about preventing crime; it’s about investing in potential.

Every one of these 27 projects offers something unique, whether it’s creative expression, sports, mentoring, or mental health support. Together, they form a network of opportunity that will help thousands of young people across Merseyside make positive choices and feel proud of where they live.

I’m incredibly proud of this initiative and to see the energy, innovation, and compassion that our communities continue to show in supporting our young people and with the support of these brilliant grassroots organisations, we are making Merseyside a safer, more inclusive place to live.

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell

The YES Fund is a key part of our public health approach to tackling violence.

We know that early intervention and community-led support are some of the most effective ways to reduce harm and build resilience among young people. These projects are not only preventing crime, but they’re also helping young people feel seen, supported, and empowered.

This year’s funding round has shown just how much passion and creativity exists across Merseyside. From forest schools and floating youth hubs to spoken word workshops and sports programmes, these initiatives are meeting young people where they are and giving them the tools to thrive.

We’re proud to work alongside the PCC to deliver this funding, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have over the coming months.

Superintendent Georgie Garvey, Director of the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership

The YES Fund is managed by the Community Foundation for Lancashire and Merseyside.

The grants panel had some extremely difficult decisions to make with many high-quality applications received.

We are very pleased that 27 community projects and initiatives, from across Merseyside, have been supported with the YES funding to offer some really positive youth engagement from the summer holidays through to the end of March next year.

We look forward to seeing and hearing about the positive impact these projects are able to deliver in their community.

James Proctor, Programme Director at Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside

YES Fund 2025/26 – Successful Applicants:

• Act for Action Knowsley (St Michaels) – Safeguarding and safety programme for 30 disabled young people aged 14–25  – £5,275
• Centre 63 Knowsley (Whitefield) – Theatre and film project to improve mental health and cohesion – £24,346
• Evolving Mindset CIC Knowsley (Prescot North) – Mental health and personal development for at-risk youth – £24,010
• L14 Community House Knowsley (Page Moss) – Courses promoting employment, volunteering, and cohesion – £24,724
• Alfie’s Squad Liverpool (City Centre South) – Summer and October half-term activities for children and young people – £13,444
• Beautiful New Beginnings Liverpool (West Derby) – Mental health and diversionary activities for ages 11–18 – £11,275
• Blue River Support Services Liverpool (Toxteth) – Clean Brake: trauma-informed youth cycling and skills programme – £15,000
• Methodist Centre Liverpool (Aigburth) – Ride & Rise: diversion project for BME youth in Toxteth – £9,404
• Norris Green Community Alliance Liverpool (Norris Green) – Early intervention play work for children aged 6–13 – £18,840
• Pars Community Liverpool (City Centre North) – Create & Connect: youth empowerment and violence prevention – £25,000
• The Florence Institute Trust Liverpool (Dingle) – Steer Your Future: floating youth hub with arts and wellbeing – £20,350
• The Lodge Wellness Centre Liverpool (West Derby Deysbrook) – Trauma-informed wellness workshops for vulnerable youth – £23,990
• Walton Youth Project Liverpool (County) – Youth intervention programme for those at risk of crime/gang involvement – £24,312
• Windows Project Liverpool (Brownlow Hill) – Rewrite the Streets: creative writing and spoken word for at-risk teens – £6,306
• Autism Ventures Sefton (Cambridge) – Empowering autistic youth through enterprise and life skills – £9,132
• Community By Nature Sefton (Linacre) – Forest-school arts project for early intervention – £24,932
• Conquer Life CIC Sefton (Linacre) – Expanded VIBE youth engagement and wellbeing programme – £14,071
• Parenting 2000 Sefton (Duke’s) – 919 Alchemy: boxing and football to build self-belief – £24,917
• VENUS Sefton (Netherton and Orrell) – Creative, therapeutic, and diversionary activities for youth – £20,348
• Waterloo Hotshots CIC Sefton (Linacre) – Tennis and boxing holiday clubs for local youth – £6,500
• Ykids Sefton (Linacre) – Outreach and diversionary activities from Strand Shopping Centre – £24,600
• Digital Arts Box CIC St. Helens (Moss Bank) – Digital arts and wellbeing programme for vulnerable youth – £25,000
• Park Farm ACYP Centre St. Helens (Moss Bank) – Youth and afterschool clubs with arts, sports, and wellbeing – £24,730
• Powered By Hip Hop CIC St. Helens (Town Centre) – Free creative and movement-based activities for youth – £7,189
• Behind Bars Calisthenics Academy CIC Wirral (Bidston and St James) – GRIT: 8-month diversionary and wellbeing programme – £5,600
• Future Yard CIC Wirral (Birkenhead and Tranmere) – Young Futures: early intervention for youth at risk of violence – £16,580
• Utopia Project CIC Wirral (Birkenhead and Tranmere) – Thrive Project: wellbeing support for neurodivergent youth – £22,805