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.  

  • Through its new £1 million, three-year Bright Futures Fund, the Societe Generale UK Foundation is offering unrestricted grants of up to £50,000 to UK registered charities and charitable organisations for projects and initiatives across the UK which directly support people from marginalised groups to be empowered and equipped to access education and employment.

    The funding must further a recognised charitable purpose. This might include advancing education, relieving unemployment, prevention or relief of poverty, advancement of health, relief of sickness or relief of need because of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage.

    Projects should develop key skills, attitudes and attributes to foster equitable education and employment outcomes nationwide.

    Projects must demonstrate a clear and measurable impact, ensuring that individuals from marginalised communities are supported to meet one or more of the following goals:

    • Pursue and sustain their aspirations.
    • Enhance their confidence and self-belief.
    • Strengthen their mental health, wellbeing, and resilience.

    One-year grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 are available this year. Multiple year funding may be available next year. Applicants should not apply for a grant that exceeds 30% of the last year’s income of their organisation.

    Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is delivering the fund, and Expressions of Interest are to be made via the CAF online portal.

    The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 3 June 2025.

  • The charity Rosa is providing organisational development funding for Black and racially minoritised-led women’s and girls’ organisations across the UK. The Rise Fund was last available three years ago.

    The funding will support organisational development work relating to areas such as strategy, governance, leadership, alliances and partnerships, funding, demonstrating impact and systems and processes.

    Two-year grants of between £10,000 (£5,000 per year) and £40,000 (£20,000 per year) are available. The grant should be spent by December 2027.

    The grants can be used for:

    • Direct staff costs
    • Associated staff costs
    • Volunteer costs
    • General running costs, which could include rent, utility costs, insurances and any other costs related to the day to day running of the organisation. Up to 25% of the total request can be general running costs.

    A range of not-for-profit organisations can apply as long as they are constituted and:

    • Have the principal objective of working with and for Black and minoritised women and/or girls.
    • Have Black and minoritised women and/or girls as the majority of their beneficiaries both now and in the future.
    • Have at least 75% of their senior management team and trustees/governing body as Black and minoritised women and/or girls.
    • Ensure their activities are charitable, legal and for the benefit of Black and minoritised women and/or girls.
    • Have an income of between £30,000 and £300,000 from their last set of annual accounts.

    Priority will be given to organisations led by and for Black and racially minoritised women, which are also:

    • Operating in the top 20% of the most disadvantaged areas in the UK-based on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).
    • Based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
    • Led by and for disabled women and girls.
    • Led by and for LGBTQ+ women and girls.

    Organisations which meet more than one of the above priorities will be given higher priority than those that meet one priority.

    Rosa is especially keen to fund organisations which are created from and connected to the communities they serve, designing their services based on direct, lived experience and involving their beneficiaries in decision-making.

    In addition, organisations that have not previously been funded by the Rise Fund will be prioritised.

    Rosa will be hosting two ‘How to Apply’ webinars to help groups develop their applications:

    • 5 June (12:00 to 13:00)
    • 10 June (16:30 to 17:30)

    The registration links can be found on Rosa’s website.

    The deadline for grant applications is 23 June 2025 (16:00).

  • Unrestricted grants are available to support not-for-profit organisations that are helping young people with experience of the youth justice system to re-build their lives and settle back into their communities within the UK.

    A total of £1.75 million is available for this round. Grants of up to £30,000 per year for five years (a maximum value of £150,000 over the five years) are available. It is anticipated that around 10 organisations will receive a grant.

    Applications will be accepted from not-for-profit organisations:

    • With an annual income of £250,000 or less.
    • That are registered and operate exclusively in the United Kingdom.
    • Have two or more unrelated directors or trustees on the Board.
    • That primarily support justice-experienced young people aged 10-25 years old.
    • Which have a sole purpose of supporting justice-experienced young people to re-engage with their community.

    In order to be successful, organisations should be able to demonstrate that they:

    • Support young people to navigate the social stigma which can be associated for those with experience of the justice system.
    • Have strong, existing relationships with referral agencies to ensure a smooth transition out of the justice system.
    • Have experience of developing routes for young people transitioning from the justice system into training and employment.
    • Have experience of supporting young people to develop skills that help them feel empowered to make positive changes in their lives.
    • Value lived experience and have justice experienced young people involved in their governance and/or service delivery.
    • Have experience of building flexible, consistent, positive relationships with young people.

    Full details will be available once the Fund opens for applications.

    Applications will be accepted from 15 May 2025 to 12 June 2025 (midday).

Regional, National and International News

  • 23 May 2025

    National & International News

    Changes to Apprenticeship criteria announced

    New Policy Updates for 2025/26 The Department for Education has recently announced changes that simplify and clarify apprenticeship delivery: Flexibl ...

  • 20 May 2025

    YWU News

    Young people and employment May 2025

    Yesterday saw the YWU hosted at LBU by #ChooseYouthWork a workshop for the DWP and other organisations providing support to young people around employ ...

  • 20 May 2025

    YWU News

    Yorkshire and The Humber’s Connect Conference

    Last Tuesday saw youth work sector workers from across the region come together in Leeds where we deep dived to explore and add responses to the natio ...

  • 19 May 2025

    National & International News

    Youth Services Debate – part 2: The package of funding announced by Lisa Nandy for 2025-26 includes:

    Over £28 million to increase access to more and better enriching activities, to ensure that young people can continue to access opportunities, no mat ...

Reports

Resources

  • National Youth Agency launches new Equity, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EEDIB) Standards

  • Muslim Girls Finding Power Documentary

  • Fundraising Regulator issues New Code of Fundraising Practice

  • Regulator updates trustee recruitment guidance to help charities ‘broaden reach

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.