Charities are to share £90m in government funding to carry out building and renovation work on services for young people.

The money has been handed out to 43 projects through the £300m Youth Investment Fund, which is part of the government’s National Youth Guarantee to improve access to out of school activities for young people.

This tranche of funding is being handed out by Social Investment Business alongside The Key Fund, National Youth Agency and Resonance.

The bulk of the funding is for capital projects in areas of disadvantage, to fund new builds and major renovation projects. This is the second tranche of funding. The first awards supported projects used by 11,400 young people, with this set to reach another 16,500.

Youth charity Onside has been awarded five grants totalling more than £40m in this latest funding round, with each award worth between £8.8m and £7.5m to improve its centres in Bristol, Crewe, Preston, Grimsby and Salford.

Brighton Youth Centre has received £4.3m to transform its facilities into an environmentally sustainable, accessible facility open seven days a week.

“Once work is complete, Brighton Youth Centre will be able to double the number of young people they support, boosting their reach to 3000 young people per week,” say Fund organisers.

Meanwhile, YMCA North Staffordshire has been handed just under £2m.

Other charities to benefit include Nottingham Mencap, Sunderland based Lambton Street Youth and Community Hub and Birmingham based Marine Society and Sea Cadets.

Amazing news for young people.

Over £90M of #YouthInvestmentFund grants @DCMS announced to 43 youth services in underserved areas of England. It means thousands more young people can access new opportunities to improve health, skills & wellbeing ➡️https://t.co/iGzeLSYN5t pic.twitter.com/4mOxjtsXTI

— Social Investment Business (@TheSocialInvest) March 27, 2023

National Youth Agency chief executive Leigh Middleton welcomed the involvement of young assessors to ensure that young people are involved in the design and delivery of projects.

“Their involvement in this process is vital to ensure that bids have young people at their core and that the places and activities which will be delivered are inclusive to all,” said Middleton.

The grant scheme continues to be open for further applications.

Social Investment Business chief executive Nick Temple added: “Every young person deserves access to high quality activities and facilities, providing the opportunities to help them thrive. The Youth Investment Fund is helping make that vision a reality, supporting organisations and projects in the areas of England that need it most.”

“It’s been amazing to see the wide range of projects applying to the Fund, and especially how young people have played a meaningful role in shaping those plans. There is a real appetite to develop inclusive, accessible, and sustainable facilities that will be there for future generations – and that is reflected in the first set of grants announced today.

“We are hugely excited as work gets underway in places across the country – work that will help transform opportunities for thousands of young people.”

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