Next generation get control of £1.2m community fund for youth of Grenfell

Decision-makers: Tayshan Hayden-Smith, left, and Rajaa Bouchab, right, with Tayshan’s son Luca, partner Opal Marie. Mr Hayden-Smith says the Grenfell Young People’s fund will empower the community
Alex Lentati

The £1.27 million Grenfell Young People’s fund opens today and the next generation will decide how the money is used to help their community.

In a pioneering move, organisations seeking to improve the lives of young people affected by the Grenfell Tower blaze will have their grants assessed by a panel dominated by young people and local community members. Together they will make up 80 per cent of the decision-makers.

In addition, applicants will have to demonstrate that young people are directly involved in their governance and decision-making.

This was the outcome of a community-led steering group that met at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre near Grenfell to agree the terms of the new fund.

The money comprises the remaining £574,000 of the £7.4 million donated by readers to the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund Grenfell Appeal, as well as £431,000 from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and £269,000 from Artists for Grenfell. The rest of the cash gifted to the Standard’s appeal has already been given out to survivors and next of kin.

Starting today, groups can apply for grants of up to £45,000, paid out in instalments of £15,000 per year over three years.

There will be three grant rounds over three years with about £400,000 available each time. Subsequent grant rounds in 2019 and 2020 will be on similar terms and will mean the total pot is spent out over five years.

Tayshan Hayden-Smith, 22, who lives in the shadow of the tower and is a member of the panel and steering group, said: “This fund will empower our community so that we can progress from the trauma. It is right local young people make the decisions because we are the future and we know what works. It means we have buy-in from the ground up and won’t be dictated to.

Hope: the fund was unveiled in June (Evening Standard )
Evening Standard

“There are amazing things going on but many groups don’t have resources. This fund will give them the backing they need to work their magic.”

Panel and steering group member Bellal El Guenuni, 31, a former Grenfell Tower resident whose wife and children were hospitalised after escaping from their 18th-floor flat, said: “This fund can give traumatised youths the support they badly need as well as tackling entrenched disadvantage in the wider North Kensington community.

“We want to see grants to groups that empower youths by offering them new opportunities and new horizons.”

Councillor Emma Will, Kensington and Chelsea Council’s lead member for families, children and schools, said: “We are delighted our money is part of a fund that will support local projects over the coming years.”

Grants will be administered by The London Community Foundation, the Standard’s partner on the Dispossessed Fund. Chief executive Kate Markey said: “The people on our grants panel are experts by experience. They know what’s needed locally to drive opportunity. LCF is delighted to work with and learn from them.”

New grants to empower Grenfell youth

Who can apply?

Priority will be given to organizations based in North Kensington with annual turnover less than £500,000. To be eligible, groups will seek to improve young lives in at least one of three areas:

1) Wellbeing mental health support, trauma therapy, sport, music and dance

2) Empowerment youth leadership, violence reduction, community cohesion

3) Work ready offering work experience, training, skills or qualifications

How will funds be distributed?

The £1.27million pot will be allocated in three tranches of about £400,000 over three years.

How can I apply?

Applications should be made by October 31 to The London Community Foundation, the charity that manages the Dispossessed Fund, at: londoncf.org.uk/grants/grenfell-ypf

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in