Young Londoners Fund Local Networks
The Mayor’s Young Londoners Fund is helping children and young people fulfil their potential, particularly those at risk of getting involved in crime. Over 170 projects have been funded under round one totalling £30million. The round two application window is currently open and closes at 12pm on 12 July 2019.
There are 12 Young Londoners Fund Local Networks, jointly funded by the GLA and City Bridge Trust to create a legacy for the Young Londoners Fund programme. They are supporting youth organisations who are delivering the fund, with most Local Networks working across more than one borough. The Selby Trust operates the Haringey and Enfield Local Network; known as the HEY Network. They write about their work below.
HEY Network in Haringey and Enfield
Launched in January 2019, this is the first time a cross-borough network focusing on young people has been established. Both boroughs have long had joint relationships around Health, Adult Education and more recently policing, so there are train tracks for us to capitalise on.
A key objective is to ensure external investment is brought into the boroughs from various grant making sources.
We have focused time on ensuring local organisations are informed about round two of the Young Londoners Fund and providing intense support through our ‘application course’. Over 100 organisations from across Enfield and Haringey attended the two Young Londoners Fund information sessions last month.
More broadly, over the past six months the HEY Network has delivered training on county lines and systematic youth violence. These events simultaneously enable frontline practitioners, possibly working with young people on both sides of conflict, to network and develop relationships.
The cross-borough work is being welcomed both at a strategic management level and on the ground among frontline professionals in the voluntary, statutory and education sectors. There is an acknowledgement that large aspects of serious youth violence is linked and taking place on the borough boundary, especially with regards to Tottenham and Edmonton.
The Local Networks illustrates a holistic approach to tackling serious youth violence across London beyond a limited grants programme. It recognises the dissemination of the voluntary and statutory youth sector over the past eight years and is attempting to address this through this element of the Young Londoners Fund programme, allowing for growth, sustainability and resilience to be developed.
Find out more about the Young Londoners Fund Local Networks and get involved.