Southampton City Council announces a £100,000 Youth Community Chest fund to support community-led projects that help young people feel safe, happy, healthy and able to achieve.

The Youth Community Chest fund, supported by Councillor Amanda Barnes-Andrews, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and Councillor Toqeer Kataria, Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety and Leisure, will provide one-off grants of up to £15,000 for locally rooted youth focused projects. Applications will need to involve young people in developing ideas and helping to deliver activities.

A panel of young people will assess every application and recommend awards to cabinet members, helping ensure investment reflects the priorities and experiences of those it is intended to benefit, shaping funding recommendations.

The Youth Community Chest project will support grassroots community activity that responds to local needs, reduces inequalities and creates more opportunities for young people across Southampton. The project will focus on:

• Things to do, places to go – increasing access to positive activities
• Be Safe – improving community safety
• Be Healthy – improving health and wellbeing
• Enjoy and Achieve – supporting educational attainment and development
• Make a Positive Contribution – responding to youth voice and local need

Councillor Amanda Barnes-Andrews, Cabinet Member for Children and Learning at Southampton City Council said: “The Southampton Youth Community Chest provides an incredible opportunity for local community groups to apply for funding to deliver youth projects in the city. It’s fantastic to have young people take part in reviewing applications too. Opportunities like this are a great way to engage with young people and deliver projects that are meaningful. I look forward to the day when we can share how this funding will be spent.”

Councillor Toqeer Kataria, Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety and Leisure at Southampton City Council said: “This fund presents a unique opportunity for young people to have a say in what opportunities they would like to see in their communities. That may be investment to start up new youth groups or for existing groups to fund new equipment or facilities. The Youth Community Chest can help build sustainable youth provision across the city, supporting organisations that can deliver ongoing activities, build relationships with young people and make a lasting difference in our communities.”

Local organisations that are either a community group or social enterprise i.e. an organisation that uses its profits to reinvest in youth-based projects in the community, are invited to register for a ‘Community Information Q&A webinar’ via Microsoft Teams on either Wednesday 18 November at 12pm or Thursday 19 November at 6:30pm. Each webinar will last approximately one hour. To find out more and register your interest in attending one of the webinars please visit the Southampton City Council website and search ‘Youth Community Chest’.

The application window is now open and will close on 6 December 2026.

The Youth Community Chest fund supports the ambitions of Southampton’s 10-year City Plan to create a safer, more equal, healthier Southampton for all.