Youth volunteering fund gets £4m boost

The government has announced an extra £4m will be invested in the #iwill Fund which creates volunteering, social action and community activities for young people.

Civil society minister Baroness Barran has announced that the government will invest an additional £2m in the Fund, which will be match funded by the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF).

Barron said that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on young people was a factor in the funding boost.

“I’m acutely aware of how the pandemic has impacted the lives of young people, and I can reassure them that it’s a government priority to ensure they are supported and given access to opportunities that can help them develop and grow,” she said.

“I’m delighted that an additional £4 million will now be added to the £50 million we have provided to this important fund, which means even more young people can make a positive difference in their communities whilst developing their own unique skills and knowledge.”

So far the fund has used £54m joint investment from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the NLCF since its launch in 2016. This has seen it collaborate with more than 30 funders and create more than 650,000 opportunities for young people. It has a particular focus on supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Charities to already use the Fund have included UK Youth, British Red Cross and the Young Women’s Trust.

Another is Young Minds, which is delivering social action projects for young boys in Haringey. Meanwhile, Leonard Cheshire Disability has been supported by the #iwill Fund for its work combining sport and social action.

NLCF interim chief executive David Knott added: “The work of the #iwill Fund has had an incredible impact on young people, empowering them to design and deliver projects that will benefit their peers, their communities and young people of the future.

“This additional £4 million investment will provide even more opportunities and enable young people to help their communities build back from COVID, prosper and thrive.”