A group of 15 young Islington residents aged 16-26 became Islington Giving’s first Young Grant-Makers in May 2018. With a fully delegated budget of £80,000 from Islington Giving they made decisions on grants for projects and activities that would most benefit Islington’s young people.
To deliver the programme and ensure its success Islington Giving partnered with Fully Focused Community Trust and Youth Bank International. Each partner brought strengths and expertise in different areas:
The Young Grant-Makers:
- Met weekly every Tuesday evening 6-8pm from 1st May to 4th December
- Were paid the London Living Wage for their time each week as well as expenses
- Led a whole grant-making cycle from shaping a call, to assessing applications, to making final funding decisions
- Received training, guidance and support from the Programme Leader and other partner staff
- Had fun and food at every session
The Young Grant-Makers chose to fund 7 projects of different types and scale that best responded to their call for proposals to strengthen the community in Islington and provide more activities for young people enabling them to learn new skills and meet new people.
Achievements and Learning in our first year of YGM
- 10 out of 15 original young grant-makers stayed with the programme throughout
- Young Grant-Makers said the programme helped them develop skills around listening, teamworking, budgeting and finance
- Young Grant-Makers described how control over grant-making gave them voice and power to help other young people.
- Islington Giving gained the perspectives of young people in its grant-making and added 7 high quality projects to its portfolio of grants.
- The programme demonstrates Islington Giving’s mission to work with and not just for the people of Islington.
- 9 out of 10 of the applicants we surveyed were clear that YGM increased the sense of accountability around grant-making.
- Two other funders – City Bridge Trust and Children in Need learned with us through the pilot and chose to invest with us in 2019 for the second year of the programme.
How far did YGM achieve its aim and objectives in 2018?
YGM 2019
13 new young people and 2 returners from last year joined us for our second YGM “programme. We are delighted that City Bridge Trust and Children in Need chose to invest in YGM with us this year and we are working and learning with them in partnership.
Get in touch!
Please do get in touch with us if you would like to find out more about YGM:
Helen Kersley
Programme Director, Islington Giving
E: Helen.Kersley@cripplegate.org.uk
T: 0207 288 6947
