Southwark proud of its £1m grants to boost youngsters’ life skills

Southwark council has handed out £1million to organisations and community groups for activities that will help young people achieve positive futures over the next two years.

Individual grants ranged from £20,000 to a maximum of £60,000 over two years for life skills activities that will run from April 2024 until March 2026.

This marks the second round of the council’s Positive Futures Fund for Young People. During the first year of the first round (April 2022 to March 2023), groups delivered more than 3,800 youth work sessions with more than 15,000 visits from local young people.

In May 2023, the council went out to ask young people, including those in the Southwark Youth Parliament, what kind of activities they wanted to see in the second round. Members of Southwark Youth Parliament also sat on the board that reviewed proposals for the grant scheme.

The aim of the grants is to make Southwark “an inclusive and empowering place to live for all young people,” according to the local authority.

Cllr Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark council, visited one of the beneficiaries – The Neurodiversity Family Hub to learn about how they would be using their grant to build a safe haven where young people with neurodiversity can thrive, including an after-school club and social careers-focused service.

The hub was established by a grassroots community who saw a need to provide equality, justice and positive experiences for young people with conditions like autism, ADHD, dyspraxia and dyslexia.

Sonay Ozkutayli, co-founder of The Neurodiversity Family Hub, said: “We are committed to ensuring young people and their families with neurodiversity feel enfranchised and empowered within their communities so they can be the beacon of hope moving forward.

“We do not believe that neurodiversity or disability should be a barrier to people living successful and happy lives. Our endeavour will carry this message through with the help of the council’s Positive Futures Fund for Young People.

“We are delighted to be awarded a grant by Southwark Council. It means that we will have solid foundations in which to continue to build upon, to continue to educate, empower and raise the awareness of young people with a neurodiversity.”

Cllr Williams said: “Every child deserves the very best start in life. We have a diverse community of young people in Southwark with varying needs and ambitions. We are levelling the playing field with these grants by investing £1m into a range of activities that uplift and upskill all our young people.”

The council’s Positive Futures Fund for Young People will fund other activities and organisations, including:

*Surrey Docks Farm, Rotherhithe Street, where animal care, food growing, healthy cooking, rural crafts, and environmental and social action projects take place.

*The Art Block, South London Gallery’s creative space on Sceaux Gardens Estate, which helps with life skills (cooking, teamwork, socialising) and offers wellbeing opportunities (arts and crafts, recreational sports).

*The Empowerment People organisation, which is getting aid for the one-to-one job-related support it gives along with group classes designed to boost confidence and bridge the skills gap for young people.

Pictured top: Cllr Williams with young people from the Neurodiversity Family Hub (Picture: Southwark council)