The Young Barnet Foundation Takes Off
The Young Barnet Foundation held its official launch on the 30th November at the historical RAF Museum.
Beneath the wings of the World War planes of the RAF Museum Hendon, the Young Barnet Foundation launched a £50,000 grants fund for Children and Young People’s organisations in Barnet to support them to continue to deliver services and activities across Barnet.
As part of the Charities official launch, and in front of special guest the Worshipful the Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet, CEO Janet Matthewson told the 140 or so attendees of the ‘Space 2 Grow – Children and Young People’s Fund’ intended to deliver much needed funding to grass roots organisations operating within the Borough. This round of funding is open for applications until the 12th January 2017. Full details, including the full criteria is available at www.youngbarnetfoundation.org.uk
The fund is also open to receive donations from residents and businesses keen to support activities and services for children and young people in Barnet, all donations to the Space 2 Grow Children and Young Peoples Fund will go directly towards supporting grassroots organisations in Barnet.
To find out how you can support the Young Barnet Foundation and the work of its members, please visit their website. Donations and in-kind support are not only welcome but also a necessity to ensure that children and young people are supported, so whether you are an individual or a business, the Young Barnet Foundation is keen to talk to anyone who shares their vision.
The Foundation highlights special thanks to the RAF Museum for providing such a fantastic venue and first year photography students of Barnet and Southgate College for volunteering their time to snap the guests at this enjoyable event.
Funded by John Lyon’s Charity and City Bridge Trust, the Young Barnet Foundation is a voluntary and community sector (VCS) membership movement that has been established to support and grow activities and services for children and young people across the borough of Barnet.
The cornerstone of the Young Barnet Foundation will be to form partnerships with local stakeholders, including residents and the business community, to collectively raise funds on behalf of its member organisations and to provide a local grants pot to help resource these groups. Details of the Young Barnet Foundation grants pot, opening with a new total of £50,000, was announced at the launch event on 30th November 2016.
The Young Barnet Foundation is part of the wider Young People’s Foundation (YPF) model and works alongside newly formed Foundations in other London boroughs and across the country. YPFs work to build capacity of the local voluntary sector through collaboration with local partners and collective fundraising to provide the space and infrastructure to enable voluntary organisations to thrive.
The YPF model was designed by John Lyon’s Charity to address current pressures on the Children and Young People sector. Across the country, year on year expenditure on youth services has been cut; a 2016 report suggests a figure of £387,000,000 has been cut in the last six years¹. Consequently, opportunities for children and young people have significantly diminished.
With over 70 member organisations and looking to increase that number, the Young Barnet Foundation aims to introduce innovation, whilst providing a platform whereby the community can come together to strengthen the local children and young people’s VCS, thus growing the activities and services available to our children and young people.
“Collaboration enhances the ability of organisations to deliver excellence and also their ability to survive in a challenging economic environment. We wish the foundation every success in the future!” Erik Mesel, Grants and Public Policy Manager, John Lyon’s Charity.
The Young Barnet Foundation has Janet Matthewson at its helm. Janet brings a wealth of knowledge and local experience to the post and is eager to drive local support to local charities and community groups, cemented in the belief that we need to help make a difference on our own doorstep. Janet believes that we can all play a part in the boroughs future by investing more in our children and young people and in their futures, whether that is time, expertise or funds, we all can offer something.
“We have some great people working for great organisations, supporting our children and young people but they are poorly resourced and that limits their impact and reach. We need to enrich and strengthen our community by working together because together we are stronger, together we can achieve more and together we can build brighter futures for our children and young people in the borough of Barnet. We cannot complain about the rise in anti-social behaviour and a breakdown in community values if we fail to invest in our youth. So we’re asking, how can you help us?”
The Young Barnet Foundation would like to hear from you.
