Adapting Your Microgrants Project

Context

As the sector is getting to grips with the context created in response to coronavirus, London Youth is adapting and flexing wherever possible. This includes continuing programmes, although in different ways.

We know that this is a testing time for everyone; personally, across organisations and for young people we work with. We would like to offer you the opportunity to continue running the Microgrants programme and accessing the funding attached to this.

The core criteria for the Microgrants programme remains the same, supporting ideas that:

Have a positive impact on young people’s mental health and wellbeing
Are led by a young person, with the support of a youth worker

Below are the key changes to the programme and how we think it can be adapted to best support your organisation and involve young people in this process.

Key changes to programme

In this context we can fund ideas that:

Are delivered digitally, online or via phone or post
Led by young people or volunteers that are between 14-20 years old
Are linked to positive mental health and wellbeing (which probably applies more now than ever!)

Some examples of activities that might fit, but must be planned and led by young people: https://youthworksupport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Hot-Choc-activities.png

We cannot fund:

Any project that does not fit within the updated COVID-19 guidance given by the government (see the safety and safeguarding section below)
Direct funding to other organisations
Projects that aren’t led by young people

Updates on partnership agreements:

We will still work to end of August 2020 for projects to be completed
Project duration can be between 1-3 months (including planning, delivery and evaluation)
Up to £400 in project funding and £250 in supporting costs is available (where a young person is supported by their youth worker); this can be invoiced as one lump of £650 at the beginning of the project, if that is helpful for deliver

Safety & Safeguarding

This table outlines the key areas of focus in regards to safety and safeguarding on the Microgrants programme and other programmes throughout London Youth.

Key area	Notes	Links and resources
Keeping up to date with government advice	Please ensure your organisation is following the latest advice from the Government, keeping up to date as it changes.	https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Updating policies and procedures	Please continue to work with your colleagues to update organisational policies and procedures around safety and safeguarding, such as risk assessments. We recognise that these will be changing in the current context and will develop over time based on experience and training.	https://londonyouth.org/five-practical-points-as-you-rapidly-adapt-your-activities-to-the-online-world/ Internet Watch Foundation Safer Internet NSPCC advice
Looking after yourself and others	Look after yourself, colleagues and young people. As always within youth work, and especially at this time, this is important and something we all need to prioritise.	www.nhs.uk https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/looking-after-yourself/coronavirus-and-mental-health/

Next steps

If the young person you are working with would like to continue working on the Microgrants programme, and your organisation also has the capacity to support them, please fill in this online form outlining the adaptations to the project idea.

If you’d like to discuss this further please email Kadisha.James-Fergus@londonyouth.org or call 07736 081831.