Comic Relief: Young Carers
Overview
Following on from the success of the first Young Carers Grant Programme, the second round of funding will continue to prioritise high quality support to the most vulnerable young carers by identifying projects for those who are hard to reach such as young carers who are hidden due to stigma attached to the person they are caring for; or are from under represented communities such as ethnic minority or refugee communities.
Applications for grants up to £70,000 over three years will be considered by a decision making panel, made up of members of The Trust and Comic Relief, together with representatives from other voluntary sector organisations.
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers launched the Young Carers Grant programme 2010 open to any Third Sector/not for profit organisation who wishes to support young carers.
Due to the positive outcomes for young carers and their families delivered by funded projects in the previous two programmes, the Trust has been contracted by Comic Relief to deliver this third, three year grant programme. This programme will continue target funding at effectively reaching:
- The most isolated and vulnerable young carers
- Young carers from potentially excluded communities (including those from black and minority ethnic communities, newly arrived to the UK, refugee community members or young carers who may be socially excluded due to stigma attached to the cared for person)
- Young carers experiencing a significant negative impact (emotional and/or physical) as a direct result of their caring role.
There will be a single round of awards and application will be by a two stage process, beginning with an expression of interest. Applicants were asked to demonstrate how their proposed project meets with the following three specific aims:
1. Reduce the extent of inappropriate caring roles for the most isolated and vulnerable young carers.
2. Increase the support available for the most isolated and vulnerable young carers.
3. Increase knowledge and resources to develop replicable models of support for the most isolated and vulnerable young carers.
The Trust received over 100 completed expressions of interest from a variety of third sector organisations based across the UK. Expressions of interest received by the closing date (5th March) are now in the process of being assessed by colleagues from across the young carers sector.
It is anticipated that approximately 25 applications will be selected to move on to the second stage of the application process. Decisions on the expression of interest stage will be made available in early April 2010 and the final awards will be made in Summer 2010.
How to Apply
The two stage application grant programme will be open to all registered charities and registered charitable organisations throughout the UK, and will continue to provide funding for projects that are providing services or activities for young carers. However, the new funding will be more tightly focused on delivering work against specific programme outcomes related to positive change for young carers.