19th January 2023
Projects that encourage young people to take action on the issues that matter to them can apply for up to £5,000 through the #CanDo Fund.
Administered by Cumbria Community Foundation, the #CanDo Fund creates opportunities for skills development for young people living in West Cumbria, including social action through campaigning, fundraising and volunteering, all of which make a positive difference to their communities.
Since 2020, the #CanDo Fund has awarded more than £135,000 to 30 projects, with all the of them having been considered by a youth committee, putting the decisions in the hands of the next generation.
Amie Todhunter, 23 from Whitehaven, said: “The #CanDo youth committee is a great way to socialise and meet new people while also helping to fund important and necessary youth-led social action in West Cumbria.
“Meeting people with the same attitude and mindset has been really important as we’ve all come together from different areas and backgrounds to discuss significant ways to help groups create their own changes in their area.”
Two community projects to have benefited include Always Another Way, which received £5,000 to encourage young LGBTQ+ young people to get involved in social action. Alongside monthly community litter picks, activities raised awareness of LGBTQ+ issues to help improve understanding and build cohesion in the community.
West Cumbria Rivers Trust received £2,400 to recruit young people aged 14-18 to join their Youth Panel and work on a variety of projects from natural flood management to endangered species conservation.
The Trust has a crucial role to play in raising awareness and increasing understanding of West Cumbria’s rivers and lakes. The youth panel meet quarterly to provide fresh ideas on how the charity can engage with its diverse communities in West Cumbria and also work on the design and delivery of projects.
The #CanDo Fund is funded by Sellafield Ltd, with match funding from Thomas Graham & Sons and local donors, and is part of Transforming West Cumbria, a multi-year social investment programme developed by Cumbria Community Foundation.
Stuart McCourt, Sellafield Ltd Education, Community and Development Lead, said:” Through our Six – Social Impact Multiplied programme, we want to support our local communities to thrive. The #Cando Fund enables this by empowering young people to lead change within their communities on the issues which are important to them.”
Annalee Holliday, Senior Grants & Programmes Officer at Cumbria Community Foundation, said: “Young people have enormous potential to make a positive change in their communities. We want to fund enjoyable projects that build and share skills and demonstrate positive impact on the wider community including simple, basic things like making new friends, trying out new activities and improving life skills. We’re proud to support local groups working with the next generation of volunteers, campaigners and activists who want to make a difference.”
The deadline for applications for the next round of #CanDo grants is 17th February 2023.
For more information or to apply visit, click here or contact Annalee Holliday on annalee@cumbriafoundation.org or 01900 820827.