The Co-operative Foundation is looking for up to 5 new partners to help them tackle loneliness among disadvantaged young people. These organisations will have the opportunity to share a £100,000 fund to support activities that connect young people to their community during the transition to adulthood, when they may be at risk of loneliness.
They will also join the Foundation’s existing partners in forming a network of organisations committed to sharing their learning about youth loneliness, stimulating a national conversation and strengthening local practice.
The Co-operative Foundation wants to hear from charitable organisations in England working with young people (aged 16 to 25) who have experienced one or more of the following:
• Being in care
• Being a young carer
• Being in the criminal justice system
• Homelessness
• Disability
• Coming to the UK as a refugee
Potential partners will need to show that they are committed to:
• young people having a strong voice within their organisation, and championing young people’s voices in the wider community
• using learning to improve outcomes for young people and communities
• working co-operatively as part of a national network of organisations tackling youth loneliness
• running their organisation effectively and sustainably
Organisations who meet these criteria can apply by completing a short expression of interest form (EOI). The Foundation will review EOIs within 3 days of receiving them and contact eligible applicants to request further detail about their organisations’ work and how they demonstrate the four commitments listed above.
Applications will be assessed during March, and final decisions on selecting new partners will be made in April. Being selected as one of the partners doesn’t guarantee an offer of funding. But it means that in principle The Co-operative Foundation would like to work with you to develop your plans for activity they could fund. Partners will be invited to take part in a collaborative process to explore youth loneliness and develop specific proposals to respond to this issue with the young people they work with. The Foundation will offer tailored support to partners while developing their proposals, to help make these as strong as possible. Funding for proposed activities will be subject to final approval by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
For further information and to apply, visit: www.co-operative.coop/ethics/co-op-foundation
Deadline: Monday 20 February 2017, 17:00