The aim of the Youth Opportunities Fund is to help to break down barriers that may stop young people achieving their full potential, and to help them take advantage of opportunities that may not otherwise be available to them due to financial constraints. There is no prescriptive list for how this might occur and so the fund advisors are happy to receive applications that detail the barriers you may face and how you can overcome them with their help.
About grants for individuals from the Youth Opportunities Fund
- Grants are usually made up to the value of £500, although no cash award will be made. Instead, the award will be purchased for you and you will receive that directly.
- Prior to applying for help from the Youth Opportunities Fund, please call one of our grants team on 01785 339540 for a friendly chat to discuss your situation and to see if you will be eligible for a grant. Don’t worry about the cost – we can call you back. If you would prefer to ask for a call by e-mail please send brief details to office@staffsfoundation.org.uk using the subject line ‘Youth Opportunities Fund’.
- Please be aware that the panel can only make decisions based on the information that you provide, and so it is important to give as many details as you can. Extra guidance can be found on the application form.
- Applications are assessed three times per year.
- If your case is an emergency please call us as soon as possible so that we can see if we are able to find a solution. It may take up to 2 weeks for us to arrange your award if you are successful, so please bear this in mind if you are applying for items or services that are time sensitive.
- Everybody’s situation is different, and every application will be assessed on it’s own merits. If we are unable to help you from the Youth Opportunities Fund, we may be able to transfer your application to one of our other funds, or point you in the right direction to seek further help.
What We Will Fund
Who We Will Support
We will support people who meet the following criteria;
- Young people between the ages of 14 and 25
- People who live within 20 miles of Stoke on Trent. Please see the map below, (you can click on it to enlarge it), but this generally includes the following areas;
Staffordshire – as far south as Rugeley and Penkridge
Shropshire – as far west as Prees Heath, Hodnet and Donnington, including parts of Telford
Cheshire – as far north as Macclesfield and as far north west as Winsford
Derbyshire – as far east as Ashbourne and Hartington
What you can apply for
- A training course
- A small piece of equipment
- A uniform that you might need for work
- Something to improve your confidence, help you with a future work aim, or to help you contribute to your local community.
- It doesn’t have to be focused on work – you might have some personal problems that we can help with.
PLEASE NOTE THAT NO FINANCIAL AWARD WILL BE MADE FROM THIS FUND. THE ITEM OF EQUIPMENT WILL BE PURCHASED FOR YOU AND DELIVERED TO YOU.
Closing Dates & Submission Deadlines
The following dates are submission dates and panel dates for 2019.
- Applications submitted before 17th January 2019 will go to the panel on 31st January 2019
- Applications submitted after 17th January 2019, but before 30th April 2019 will go to the panel on 14th May 2019
- Applications submitted after 30th April, but before 1st October 2019 will go to the panel on 15th October 2019
- Applications submitted after 1st October 2019 will go to the panel in January 2020
How To Apply
To apply please download the application form.
Please call us prior to completing your application form.