Multi-year grants are available for UK-based charitable and not-for-profit organisations to improve mental health support and provisions for young people and youth workers.

In partnership with Julia and Hans Rausing, the UK Youth Fund has launched the new £8.4 million Thriving Minds programme.

Established as a direct response to the growing youth mental health crisis in the UK, funding will support UK-based charities and not-for-profit organisations with an annual turnover of less than £500,000 to improve mental health support for young people aged 8 to 25 in their communities, whilst ensuring organisations have the resources needed to properly engage with the Thriving Minds programme and implement and instigate learnings to improve their mental health provision.

Unrestricted grants of between £15,000 and £50,000 per year for up to three years are available for projects that demonstrate commitment to the following key outcomes: 

• Improved community support for young people experiencing mental health problems and improved preventative provision to support young people before they reach crisis point.
• Improved best practices on ways to improve youth workers’ mental health literacy.
• Embedding sustainable youth work practises in the youth sector and mental health sector.

Proposed projects and activities must directly engage with at least one of the following focus groups: 

• Young people from racialised communities.
• Young people living in poverty.
• Young people dealing with trauma.
• Young people suffering adversity due to their gender or sexuality.
• Young people living in rural communities.

Funding is unrestricted and can be spent on any aspect of an organisation’s operation. However, applicants must demonstrate how any monies awarded will help their organisation improve mental health support and provision for young people. Applicants must be willing to commit to engaging and attending core activities of the Thriving Minds programme and complete all online reporting requirements.

There is a two-stage application process.  

The deadline for applications is 20 March 2022 (midnight). 

 

How To Apply

There is a two-stage application process:

• Applicants must register on the UK Youth DoIT platform.
• Applicants can then complete an online application form. The deadline for applications is 20 March 2022 (midnight). It is expected that successful applicants will be notified from 11 May 2022.

Guidance notes, FAQs, and an online application form are available from the UK Youth website.

Further information will be available at information webinars being held on the following dates:

• 3 March (10:30 – 12:00).
• 10 March (10:00 – 11:30).
• 15 March (10:30 – 12:00).

The link to register to the webinars can be found in the FAQs document.