How YWU supports the sector

Funding

A listing of available funding from small one-off grants to multiple year funding.

Regional, National and International News

Latest news in the Youth sector, Regionally, Nationally and Internationally.

Reports

The latest reports affecting the sector, finding information and links to them all here.

Resources

Useful resources for Youth Work Practitioners

Jobs & Opportunities

Current roles in the youth work sector from across the region.

Events & Training notices 

A listing, with links to the YWU events and more.

Funding

We are all too aware of the difficulties faced by all providers of youth work in these difficult times with rising costs to provide and increasing demand on services continue. Funding becomes even more vital we aim to provide access to funding opportunities from small one of grants to long-term multiple year funding.  

  • Northern Powergrid Foundation provides grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 for local communities in North East England, Yorkshire, and north Lincolnshire to become more resilient to energy changes as well to promote greener energy.

    The funding supports diverse communities affected by economic, environmental and societal changes due to the shifting energy landscape.

    The current funding priorities are:

    • Energy Resilience during emergency events – enhancing community facilities, services and communication, and providing support to households in Northern Powergrid’s regions during prolonged periods without power.
    • Vulnerability – protecting the welfare of vulnerable people in the communities served by Northern Powergrid particularly during extended power cuts by enhancing their resilience and supporting them to prepare for emergency situations.
    • Fuel Poverty – helping to prevent and relieve those in fuel poverty through educational advice and support programmes.
    • Levelling the rural divide – supporting communities who are particularly remote or isolated and have experienced power cuts due to poor weather in the past.
    • Innovation – using innovative or transformational solutions to improve energy resilience for households in Northern Powergrid’s regions.
    • Collaboration – supporting communities or groups who work together to tackle issues to improve energy resilience.
    • Charities – supporting existing charitable organisations or groups whose remit is to enhance energy resilience across Northern Powergrid’s regions.

    The grants must be used to cover costs that are directly connected to carrying out the charitable activities that the Charity Trustees have agreed to fund.

    A range of organisations can apply including but not limited to parish councils, village halls, community hubs and community centres, community associations, community trusts, community partnerships, etc.  (Sports clubs and associations may not apply for this funding.)

    There are normally two funding rounds per year.

    The first round is now open with a deadline for applications of 11 May 2025.

  • Grants of up to £500 are available for volunteering or community service projects in the UK that are organised and run by young people aged 30 and younger to help them put their ideas into action and run projects that benefit the lives of others, particularly the most marginalised and disadvantaged.

    Alec Dickson Trust provides funding for UK-based projects that:

    • Encourage youth volunteering – particularly those that involve lots of volunteers- and encourage people to continue volunteering in the long term.
    • Have a positive impact on disadvantaged communities and individuals, particularly projects that address a specific need and have a long-lasting and meaningful effect on those they reach.
    • Are innovative and try to do things differently, such as using social media creatively or using existing resources in new ways.

    Applicants will need to provide a referee who knows them in a professional capacity, but who is not part of the volunteer project.

    The deadline for applications is 4 April 2025. 

  • Two grants are available each year to support neighbourhood-based community projects that improve wellbeing, inclusion and skills in local communities

Regional, National and International News

  • 25 March 2025

    National & International News | Reports

    National Youth Agency (NYA) highlights a critical shortage of trained youth workers

    Schools from every corner of the UK are invited to test their tech skills for the chance to be crowned Cyber Explorer champions, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced. The Cyber Explorers Cup kicked off on Wednesday 6 December giving pupils between 11 and 14 years the opportunity to compete in cyber security challenges.

  • 25 March 2025

    National & International News

    Government ends placement of girls in Young Offenders Institutions

    Schools from every corner of the UK are invited to test their tech skills for the chance to be crowned Cyber Explorer champions, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced. The Cyber Explorers Cup kicked off on Wednesday 6 December giving pupils between 11 and 14 years the opportunity to compete in cyber security challenges.

  • 24 March 2025

    Regional News

    WY Police and Crime Plan

    Schools from every corner of the UK are invited to test their tech skills for the chance to be crowned Cyber Explorer champions, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced. The Cyber Explorers Cup kicked off on Wednesday 6 December giving pupils between 11 and 14 years the opportunity to compete in cyber security challenges.

  • 21 March 2025

    National & International News

    Young People to Benefit from Creative Education Boost

    Schools from every corner of the UK are invited to test their tech skills for the chance to be crowned Cyber Explorer champions, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced. The Cyber Explorers Cup kicked off on Wednesday 6 December giving pupils between 11 and 14 years the opportunity to compete in cyber security challenges.

Reports

Resources

  • Resources to support young people engaging in democracy – voting

  • Misogyny and knife crime are affecting schools around the country so let’s talk about it

  • WY YC – create quick guide to exam stress resources

  • West Yorkshire Police VAWG posters

Job Opportunities

Are you looking for your first role in youth work? Or perhaps you are looking to use your established knowledge and skills in a new role. Our jobs listing may just be what you need.

Individual organisations are invited to list their vacancy(ies) on our page for free. However, the YWU take no responsibility for the content of external vacancy listings.

Do you have a vacancy you want to advertise? Contact the team on theunit@youthworkunit.com

Youth Worker Opportunities

Here you will find opportunities for all working with young people from training opportunities to being involved with national projects. Please note that unless clearly stated these opportunities are not provided by the Youth Work Unit and do not take no responsibility for their content.

Do you have an opportunity you want to advertise? Contact the team on theunit@youthworkunit.com

Events & training notices 

Here at the YWU we provide several events from our youth workers networks to our annual conference. We provide training in all aspects of youth work and beyond many are delivered specifically for individual organisations, though occasionally we do offer open courses for anyone to enrol.

More information about training the YWU can provide can be found here for more information contact the team on theunit@youthworkunit.com  

Learn more about our training

Training is a vital resource for supporting and developing the youth work sector workforce including volunteers. It promotes retention, progression and of course the best possible experience for young people.