Youth Empowerment Scheme

The fund, delivered by the Community Foundation for Merseyside (CFM) in partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside (PCC) and the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP), is targeted at community projects that offer diversionary activities – particularly those that include arts, culture, digital skills such as coding, and sports to support young people aged under 25 years who may be more vulnerable to experiencing violence and at risk of anti-social behaviour. This could be due to a lack of self-esteem, social isolation or experiencing challenges at home. They may live in a community where drugs and alcohol are prevalent, or the community may lack infrastructure and accessible services. All these factors are recognised as increasing vulnerability to experiencing violence and/or exploitation.

There will be a YES Funding Information session on Friday 23rd May 2025 at 10am – 12pm. This will be an informal session where you can find out more information on the fund and ask any questions you may have.

MFRS Community Fire & Police Station,
Cables Wy, Manchester Rd,
Prescot L34 1QG

Please note, to ensure that delivery aligns with the PCC and MVRPs strategic priorities, there will be a mandatory requirement for all successful organisations to attend a free trauma informed awareness session to provide staff with an overview of the following six trauma informed core principles in settings:

• Understanding Trauma and Stress
• Compassion and Dependability
• Cultural Humility and Responsiveness
• Safety and Stability
• Collaboration and Empowerment
• Resilience and Recovery

These sessions are designed to support the neuroscience of how we learn, develop and empower staff to meet the needs of the community. These sessions follow on and enhance the training that has previously been delivered via MVRP. The training will be delivered online.

We recognise that locally there will be additional need for funding to other communities (particularly at certain times of the year) and therefore although funding will be prioritised to organisations based within the identified communities, we welcome bids from other communities.

Please ensure that your application can fully evidence this need and explain how these resources will have a significant impact on tackling the identified issues.

A wide range of arts, culture and sports engagement and prevention activities that meet the below target outcomes can be considered:

• Increased participation of young people in arts, digital, cultural and sports activities
• Increased engagement with young people which is sustainable beyond the funding period
• Improved reported mental health and wellbeing of young people (including anger management)
• Increased perception of personal safety amongst the young people involved
• Improved social, emotional, and behavioural skills
• Improved awareness of the impact of violent crime, particularly knife crime, and the signs and dangers of child criminal exploitation
• Improved aspirations of young people
• Voices of young people and communities being embedded within the organisation
• Increased opportunities for young people
• Increased awareness of online harm, disinformation and vulnerability.

An online application form can be completed via the “Apply Now” button below. You can attach supporting documents to your online application, or email them to us at applications@cflm.org.uk.

Documents which need to be included with your application:

1. A copy of your governing document.
2. A copy of your latest annual accounts or income/expenditure document.
3. A copy of a recent bank statement for your group. If you do not have a bank account in place, you must be able to nominate another organisation to hold the funds (CVS, another local charity, church etc.).
4. A list of your Trustees/Directors/Management Committee members. A minimum of three un-related must be in place.
5. A copy of your current Safeguarding Policy. All applicants must ensure that they hold relevant policies and procedures in place to undertake activities, such as Criminal Records Bureau checks and/or a health and safety policy, depending on proposed activity. If unsure, we recommend taking advice from your local CVS.

If you have applied to us within the last 12 months and provided this information, we do not need you to send it again, although we may require a more recent bank statement.