Following a two-year co-design project centring the voices of children and young people, the National Lottery Community Fund have recently relaunched their Young Start Programme, marking a new chapter for the programme. For those interested in the research carried out to refresh the programme, they welcome you to join their ‘lunch and learn’ webinar on Thursday 19 March at 12noon for a discussion of the learnings found throughout the process of redesign, or to read their blog: ‘Scotland’s children and young people shape how millions in forgotten funds are spent‘.

The refreshed Young Start programme introduces new outcomes, clearer language, and a new development funding route. There are now two ways to apply:

Young Start – Main Grants: Grants of between £20,001–£150,000 for up to three years
Young Start – Small Grants: Grants of between £300–£20,000 for up to one year

Young Start – Main Grants is for organisations who are already including children and young people aged 8–24 in their project, or organisation. The children and young people should be able to choose when and how they’re involved, as well as influence and make decisions about the organisation, its activities or services. To apply projects must meet at least one of these outcomes. It must help children and young people: build positive relationships that improve their wellbeing; learn more about themselves or other people; take action on issues that matter to them; and/or learn skills that help them feel more confident for the future

Young Start – Small Grants is a new development programme for organisations who are not yet meaningfully involving children and young people in their work, but who would like to. This funding is for organisations in Scotland that support children and young people aged 8– 24 and want to learn how to involve them so they can influence decisions about their organisation, its activities, or services as well as choose when and how they’re involved. To be eligible, projects must meet these two outcomes: involve children and young people in ways that benefit them; and improve how your organisation works with children and young people.

Both programmes are currently open to applications, and aim to provide a decision in 12 weeks following an application submission.

For further information, please visit the Young Start Main Grants and Young Start Small Grants dedicated webpages (linked for your convenience). Organisations wishing to apply to Young Start should contact the TNL Community Fund team for a conversation either by email: advicescotland@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or phone: 0300 123 7110.