Postcode Lottery Dream Fund may help tack youth unemployment
Edinburgh-based People’s Postcode Lottery has announced the launch of the Dream Fund, a £400,000 funding pot that encourages charities and organisations across the country to work together to secure vital funding.
The Dream Fund is an awards programme which offers financial support for groups looking to work together to realise the project of their ‘dreams’. Made possible only by the ongoing support of People’s Postcode Lottery players, this new funding round will mark the Fund’s third year and a collective total of £1 million invested in innovative projects all across Scotland.
This year, Trustees chose to increase the funding pot available for the applying charities and projects by an additional £100,000, so that it can also help tackle youth unemployment. With unemployment rates for young people (aged 16-24) in Scotland hitting 22.9%, 1.6% higher than the rest of the UK, it has never been more important to invest in projects that increase the life opportunities of the long-term unemployed.
Clara Govier, Head of Charities People’s Postcode Lottery, said, “We are opening the fund again today with the existing three categories; encouraging active living, bringing communities together and tackling climate change.
“However, this year in response to the continuing bleak economic outlook and the declining number of opportunities available for young people, we have decided to increase the support available to £400,000 to specifically help expand life opportunities available for our young people.”
The Trust is encouraging all charities and organisations to apply for up to £100,000 and join the list of projects that have already received support from the Dream Fund. Previous winners include Alzheimer Scotland and The Scottish Football Association Museum Trust, who together were awarded over £75,000 through the programme last year to run a Football Memories Project across the country.
Alistair Fergusson, Development Co-ordinator, Alzheimer Scotland said, “The support from the Dream Fund has just been invaluable. It has enabled us to achieve so much more than we had ever expected, we’ve been able to reach out and help groups that this time last year we simply wouldn’t of thought possible. We would really encourage all eligible organisations to apply to fulfil their organisations dreams too.”
This year’s application round is also open to applications from the North West of England (Greater Manchester and Merseyside).
Full application information, including eligibility criteria, can be found at www.postcodetrust.org.uk. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 31st October.