Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES)
Our Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) is focused on giving young people in the areas which have seen the highest levels of violence and the biggest cuts to youth services access to better opportunities to prevent them getting involved in trouble.
We know that by investing in our young people, by giving them engaging, positive, fun opportunities, we can prevent them from going down the wrong path, keep them safe and help them to reach their full potential.
By announcing the second year of our hugely successful YES fund we are determined to build on this work, giving even more young people positive opportunities and addressing the root causes which may cause them to make poor life choices.
Poverty, inequality, and a lack of opportunities can all play a big part. Working with our fantastic grassroot organisations across our region, we are focused on investing in and protecting our young people and providing opportunities which significantly reduce their chance of ever becoming involved in violence.
We firmly believe that violence is preventable, not inevitable and through the YES fund, we are focused on delivering targeted projects which help young people to make positive choices for the future.
We’re inviting community groups, charities and third sector organisations to submit their bids for projects running which will support young people, through programmes offering arts, culture and sports programmes. For the first time, this year, there is also a call for projects which can offer young people digital skills, helping them to stay safe online, recognise mis-and dis-information and protect themselves virtually.
Grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 are available for projects and programmes which give young people under 25, the opportunity to gain valuable skills and qualifications, build their confidence and make positive decisions for the future.
Projects can run throughout the year, with a focus on times when issues can traditionally increase, such as during the summer holidays and the autumn half term when young people are not in school and there may be little for them to do.
The money will be focused in areas of Merseyside which have seen the highest levels of violence and the biggest cuts to youth services, with the aim of keeping young people safe and supported and helping to steer them away from trouble.
All applications must be submitted online via the Community Foundation for Merseyside by close of play on Friday 6th June 2025.
Please visit their website to apply – Youth Empowerment Scheme – CFM