Community Fund projects 2025/26

Extension Sandylands Sports Centre

Sandylands Sports Centre £5,000.00 Craven

Funding will support the Changing Places fully accessible Toilet as part of wider project extension. Centre is aiming to increase use, and enhance inclusivity and will work with local partners to support this.

VIY project at Gallows Close

VIY £15,150.00 Scarborough

This project covers the delivery of a new VIY youth and community improvement project at Gallows Close Centre in Scarborough, involving and benefitting at least 15 vulnerable young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET – including those involved in/at risk of becoming involved in crime. Through a 2 week project, VIY will work with the young people (identified in partnership) to prioritise and complete works to the centre they use and benefit from, including creating a 121 meeting space, bespoke storage solutions to maximise safer space, developing a sensory garden including sensory wall, seating, raised planters, wildlife learning zone and replacement shed and redecoration of their main hall. Project outputs/outcomes will include 15 young people receiving hands-on training and mentoring, at least 75% of the young people reporting achieving an Entry Level 3 City & Guilds skills accreditation, increased sense of work-readiness, improved softer/broader employability skills, raised job/career aspirations, increased feeling of happiness and wellbeing, at least 2 young people progressing to an employment/further/higher-level training opportunity post the project. Young people will be surveyed on project exit. VIY will also follow up with young people/referral partners beyond the end of the project up to 12 months, and support those who opt in for our onwards progression support to support them into positive outcomes.

Safety Training Boat

YORK SEA CADETS £6,730.00 York

York Sea Cadets has been donated a boat by the canal and river trust to be used for powerboat training. This boat needs some work and the funding will get this project going and provide training to York Sea Cadets, York Rescue Boat, the Canal and River Trust and other partners. The project is a joint one between York Sea Cadets who will manage the boat and conduct the training, The Canal and River trust who provided the boat and York Rescue boat who will provide an instructor and in due course mooring for the boat. Currently, York Sea Cadets, York Rescue Boat and the Canal and River trust operate boats on the river Ouse, to train young people, support the emergency services and manage and maintain the river, all respectively. The current situation is that these organisations all have to travel a considerable distance and expend a considerable amount on this training to gain the relevant certification in boat operation. Refurbishing this training boat will allow that training to take place in York and provide a reserve rescue boat, supporting safer communities. NYFRS Prevention team will support with engagement work with young people and volunteers about water safety.

All About Respect

University of York £14,483.92 York

Recent discussions with safeguarding leads, the local police, and partners from the council have highlighted that the use of inappropriate and discriminatory language is an increasing problem across schools in the City. This behaviour happens both in school and online through social media and group chats. The language use is of an increasingly hostile, discriminatory and harmful nature and is a behaviour that impacts both on individual students and the whole school environment. Therefore, the aim of this project is to pilot a co-produced whole-school intervention to highlight the nature and impact of inappropriate language use, and to introduce simple bystander behaviours that children can use to challenge this behaviour and check in on their peers. This project builds upon work with the All About Respect project, adapting materials and activities for a younger age, together with a new project called ‘Words Hurt’ as part of the All About Respect Project. Project will co-create a toolkit of in-school activities designed to raise awareness of the nature and impact of inappropriate language use on primary school childrens’ mental health. This toolkit will then be piloted in settings agreed in partnership. Activities will include an assembly and an interactive stall. The funding will enable further development of All About Respect, by employing a project officer to deliver the initiative in schools, and undertake focus groups to explore whether awareness-raising activities are effective in achieving the aims.

Call it Out

York College £19,700.00 – Countywide

Call it Out is a new project developed in response to evidence gathered through student focus groups, safeguarding data, and input from external partners including North Yorkshire Police and All About Respect. It addresses a clear gap in post-16 education: the lack of sustained, student-led work to challenge inappropriate language, sexual harassment, and discriminatory behaviours that often go unreported or unchallenged. Call it Out fills this gap by embedding early intervention, promoting respectful challenge, and empowering students and staff to recognise and address harmful behaviours. It connects directly to safeguarding and wellbeing concerns identified in college and supports a regional, joined-up approach. The project aims to ensure these behaviours are no longer tolerated or minimised in post-16 settings. The Call it Out initiative will build upon participation with the All About Respect Project and their Words Hurt project and is grounded in partnership work already underway with North Yorkshire Police, City of York and North Yorkshire Children’s Safeguarding Partnerships. Funding from the Community Fund will:

• Deliver professional bystander intervention training to both staff and students.
• Run interactive awareness-raising events and campaigns shaped by the student voice.
• Develop resources and workshops to help staff and students recognise and challenge harmful behaviours.
• Create a replicable model of good practice that can be shared across education providers in York and North Yorkshire.

The Call it Out project will be delivered by York College’s Student and Apprenticeship Services Team which includes, Safeguarding, Wellbeing and student Voice Officers. Project will work closely with the local neighbourhood policing team, including the Schools Liaison Officers and Partnership Officers from North Yorkshire Police, who support delivery of sessions around harassment, hate crime, and personal safety. In addition, regular contact with the City of York and North Yorkshire Children’s Safeguarding Partnerships to ensure work aligns with regional safeguarding priorities.

Water Safety Education Programme

York Rescue Boat £7,200.00 – Countywide

York Rescue Boat have developed new education packages which have been recognised by organisations such as the National Water Safety Forum and many other organisations that come under its umbrella. North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (NYFRS) Youth and Schools Engagement Team also support these new packages of education. This new project is prevention driven. The packages are ready to deliver not only to schools but also to out-of-school activity groups e.g. sea cadets, scouts, cubs, brownies, etc. The over 18 packages also support national campaigns such as Don’t Drink and Drown, which target universities and colleges, whilst the formal charity packages target WI groups and other formal organisations. In addition a makaton and deaf package are now included in the Water Safety Code education to make it more inclusive to those with SEND needs. Funding of suitable equipment will help deliver this programme of education, develop education work further and ensure a larger pool of volunteers are able to deliver this programme. The long term aim is to work with swim schools in delivering water safety education to trainee swim teachers so that they have a greater understanding of the Water Safety Code as well as local risks. Delivery will take place throughout the year to a range of organisations agreed in partnership. Project will be complemented by the NYFRS Youth and Schools Engagement Team.

Drugs Testing on Arrest

North Yorkshire Police £20,000.00 – Countywide

The Community Fund will support NYP with interim funding for testing equipment. This is a new project following a pilot in 2023/24. Drugs Testing on Arrest (DToA) has been a tool available to police since 2003 and all forces have been able to use DToA without additional authorisation from the Home Office since 2011. Thirty Nine of the Forty-Three police forces were active in the DToA programme, when North Yorkshire police commenced a pilot in December 2023 we were the 39th force. By not having a DToA programme in place, NYP are missing opportunities to address the root cause of violent crime and to change behaviour in the community that we serve by missing the opportunity to focus on prevention and early intervention. NYP wish to identify drug misusers and address risk at the earliest stage by maximising the use of commissioned support services and reducing future reoffending in North Yorkshire. Drugs Testing on Arrest (DToA) is an instrument available to the police to help combat drug related offending, requiring those testing positive for cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin to attend drug treatment. This preventative programme is an initiative aimed at identifying drug misusers and addressing the problem at the earliest stage by maximising the use of commissioned support services and reducing future reoffending. NYP piloted DToA in 2023-2024 with the support of Home Office funding. Project will use a testing strategy that focuses on violence and sexual offences, and should testing volumes allow, county lines and the supply of drugs. Project will target testing for maximum impact and success as well as maximising the use of commissioned support services which are already in place.

Catterick Whizz Kids

Catterick Whizz Kids £1,857.92 (£857.92 Community Fund, £1,000 Police Property Fund) – Richmondshire

Project has identified that there is a gap in provision for this age group 8-12 years and will provide activities that will help young people grow give back to the community, grow in confidence, transferable skills and have a safe space to meet with friends. The aim of the project is a Youth club that is open to all, with a focus on activities which will give the young people new skills and to get them out of their comfort zone. The project offers a diverse and inclusive place for young people to meet feel safe and have fun. The club will run weekly with activities planned with the young people to meet the needs of the group with additional sessions in the holidays of more adventurous outdoor activities like camping and water sports. The objective is to give the young people the opportunity to develop new skills at their own pace by providing the resources and opportunities in a safe space where they feel comfortable. The project aims for young people to grow in confidence and experience through the activities and will encourage the young people to become peer mentors support each other in achieving their own personal goals. Catterick Whizz Kidz will be delivered solely by the volunteers however they have become members of North Yorkshire Youth who will provide training, support and advice. Project will work with other agencies for further support the police, NHS, community safety partnership and will make contact with Community First Yorkshire to access their support.

York Community Connections and Cultural Cohesion Project

Afghanistan & Central Asian Association £16,480.00 – York

The York Community Connections and Cultural Cohesion Project is a new, innovative initiative developed by the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA) to address growing concerns around youth crime, social isolation, hate crime, and lack of community cohesion among young people in York, particularly in diverse areas including Guildhall ward.This is a new project designed specifically for York, addressing a significant gap in culturally tailored early intervention for vulnerable young people from refugee and ethnic minority backgrounds. This project fills that gap by offering structured, trauma-informed activities focused on community safety, cohesion, and resilience. It will engage at-risk youth aged 11–18 in positive social, educational, and creative programmes that promote inclusion and reduce anti-social behaviour. The project will also address local concerns around youth violence, hate crime, and community tension in hotspot areas. By creating a welcoming, preventative support system tailored to York’s changing population, this initiative will build safer, more connected communities while helping young people thrive and avoid negative pathways. This year-long project (September 2025–September 2026) will provide a series of structured, accessible activities for vulnerable young people aged 11–18, particularly those from ethnic minorities including refugee, asylum-seeking, and ethnic minority backgrounds, including Afghan, Ukrainian, and Black communities. The project aims to prevent youth crime, reduce the risk of victimisation and reoffending, and promote cultural understanding, inclusion, and mental wellbeing. Funding will enable ACAA to deliver 56 high-quality, trauma-informed sessions, engage at least 100 young people directly, and support a further 50 individuals indirectly through family and community outreach.

Bruce Project

York MIND £15,150.00 – York

This project will be a development of the CF funded Bruce Project, running groups for young people which used creative means to explore emotions and behaviours as a form of early intervention for mental health. The project has been an overwhelming success with an attendance rate of 85 % and 100% of YP accessing the groups completed the course of six weeks. This funding will enable the sustainability of this creative group offer for young people in York but tailor it to address emerging themes arising in the group and highlighted by referral partners, namely around self-esteem, misogyny and healthy relationships, whilst also allowing for more tailored support through increased 1:1s and the addition of a sessional group assistant to support the running of the groups. This project will focus on prevention and early intervention, providing young people who are experiencing mental ill health, and are therefore at increased risk of becoming both perpetrators and victims of crime, with a safe, creative space to address underlying beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that can lead to youth offending. The project will mirror the successful format of the existing Bruce Project. Each cohort of 6–8 young people will attend six group sessions, delivered outside school hours, with three cohorts running across the life of the project. Sessions will combine peer support and psychoeducation with creative activities like clay and painting to encourage open discussion, specifically around the themes of self esteem, misogyny and healthy relationships. Each participant will also receive a one-to-one session before and after the group work to provide more tailored support for individuals in recognition of the increased sensitivity of the subjects and to allow more targeted support around specific risk factors for each individual. The pre-session will enable the facilitator to identify individual needs and support young people to set personal goals for the intervention, while the post-session will enable them to reflect on their progress and strengths and support them to create a ‘moving on plan’ to build resilience and signpost to further support, including York Mind services. This project will work with mixed-gender groups to foster empathy, model respectful interactions, and challenge harmful language or behaviours in real time.

CARA (Cautioning and Relationship Abuse)

Restorative Solutions £51,669.96 Community Safety funding £6,752.04 Community Fund funding – Countywide

CARA (Cautioning and Relationship Abuse) is an innovative, award-winning early intervention for domestic abuse offenders who have received a Conditional Caution. CARA has been designed to increase not only awareness of domestic abuse but also self-awareness and the motivation to address behaviours and make changes. It supports offenders in understanding what domestic abuse is, the harm their actions have caused, the impact this has had on their partners, children and relationships, and how to make different choices going forward and prevent these harmful behaviours from becoming more entrenched. The workshops offer support relevant to the needs of the participants and signpost to further specialist help, including comprehensive behaviour change programmes.

Women Unlocked

Leaders Unlocked £15,000.00 Community Fund funding – Countywide

Following a successful pilot project, in line with the project’s youth-led approach, LU have incorporated adaptations and development suggestions directly from Women Unlocked (WU) participants and key partners to enhance the project and build on successes. WU Network: Alongside recruiting new young women to the mentoring project, WU Phase 2 will expand its reach by allowing the first cohort to remain engaged in the project as part of the ‘WU Network’. This will involve continuing to act as a lived-experience sounding board for partners, and taking on a leadership and mentoring role for new members within group development days. Reporting Roadshow: This year, WU co-produced a well-received short-form video on VAWG reporting awareness. To ensure the video achieves maximum behaviour change in relation to reporting, participants would like to build on their campaign by developing a ‘roadshow’, utilising the video to engage other young women in positive conversations on Reporting. The overarching focus of the project will be to empower young women, in relation to VAWG but also wider issues of gender inequality and discrimination, such as within their education and employment, in order to overcome gender-based societal barriers. This year, WU will combine providing support, mentoring and training to up to new 15 young women, most at risk of being exposed to gender discrimination and VAWG with empowering young women from cohort 1 to step into leadership roles in group work, adding a peer-to-peer mentoring element to the project.

Vaping Project for Primary Schools and Older Teenagers

Talk About Trust £25,700.00 Community Fund funding – Countywide

This funding will enable The Talk About Trust to address a significant gap identified through consultation with York and North Yorkshire School Improvement Teams, who confirmed there is currently no coordinated provision of primary school vaping education. With their full support, the funding will allow the development and rollout of high-quality, evidence-based bespoke resources and staff training across all primary schools in the region. It will also extend delivery to youth and community settings, agreed in partnership, ensuring consistent messaging beyond the classroom. This project will provide bespoke, comprehensive vaping education resources and staff training for primary schools and youth organisations across York and North Yorkshire. Working in partnership with the school improvement teams, project will create bespoke physical resources that include planning guidance, detailed lesson plans, and interactive materials to engage pupils from Years 3–6. Training will equip staff with the skills and confidence to deliver meaningful sessions across all settings. In response to growing concerns about illicit vapes and vape spiking, funding will also support information sessions for older students (Year 11+), parents, and carers—covering vape safety, identifying illicit or spiked products, how to support young people giving up nicotine products, and accessing local help and support services.

Wake Up Call and Basic Awareness Training

North Yorkshire Youth £9,750.00 Community Fund funding – Countywide

Wake-Up Call sits in the pre-Prevent space focussing on the lower-level hate crime agenda. The course is offered as early intervention educating young people informally on the effects of hate crime and community tensions. Previously the course had a focus on racism, homophobia, transphobia and disablist attitudes. More recently schools have been asking for a focus on misogyny and incel subculture.  The Basic awareness element of this funding is new. NYY have developed basic awareness training courses for NYY Members. The courses are focussed on those working with young people. We would like to extend this offer to other voluntary, non-voluntary and statutory services across North Yorkshire including School Staff. Courses There will be 4 online Basic Awareness courses focussed on Incel Subculture, far right ideologies in young people, Misogyny and Hate Crime.  Wake Up Call is an existing project that is offered to school across York and North Yorkshire. The workshops in 2026 have been reviewed and updated and still offer relevant content for young people. Although a similar format to the exiting workshop the package will include a focus on Incel Subculture. NYY will also offer non-mainstream special schools some elements of the workshop. These will be shortened sessions focussing on a specific topic the school chooses.
Learning from Wake-Up Call showed that some teaching staff were not confident in talking to young people about these negative attitudes and actions. NYY felt that by preparing and delivering some basic awareness training they could help to empower the work force that support young people.  The package will help raise awareness, educate the workforce and re-route young people’s negative views, beliefs, and behaviour into positive attitudes.

The Bike Box Project by Spokey Dokey

Spokey Dokey Badge Club £16,086.00 Movement Activity Sport funding – Countywide

The Bike Box Project is a hands-on initiative designed to teach young people practical bike maintenance skills, build confidence, and encourage safe, active cycling.  Qualified mechanics will deliver hands-on workshops, helping young people develop practical skills, confidence, and independence. By leaving lasting resources in the centres, the project ensures continued learning and engagement, enabling participants to maintain their own bikes, solve problems, and enjoy safe, active cycling beyond the workshops. The project will deliver 8 workshops in total, with a minimum of 10 targeted young people per session, agreed in partnership. Each participant will attend 3 hands-on sessions, giving a total of 24 participant-sessions. Workshops will take place in youth clubs, schools, and other community settings, including centres supporting disadvantaged, SEMH, and SEND young people, agreed in partnership. Sessions will be led by two Cytech-qualified mechanics with enhanced DBS checks and first-aid training. Participants will learn the M-check, basic repairs, and maintenance skills, while also receiving guidance on cycling safely, helping to promote safety and reduce the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. Leaving toolkits in centres creates a lasting legacy, enabling young people to continue maintaining their own bikes independently.

Make Safer – Fire Risk & Vulnerability Response

Community Bees £10,000.00 Community Fund funding – Countywide

Funding will support service expansion for those living in unsafe, high-risk environments. Referred by NYFRS, NHS Occupational Therapists, and other frontline professionals, many clients face blocked exits, inaccessible rooms, no heating or water, and severe fire risks. Fear of formal services and lack of practical, non-judgmental support leave them isolated and vulnerable. Project team provides compassionate, non-clinical intervention to reduce risk, restore dignity, and reconnect individuals with essential services. Funding will expand outreach, strengthen partnerships with statutory services such as NYFRS, especially in rural areas. Project aims to help reduce fire risk, prevent hospital admissions, and improve quality of life for vulnerable individuals living in unsafe homes.  “Make Safer” is a 6-week, experience-led intervention programme supporting people affected by hoarding, extreme clutter, vermin, mould, and lack of basic amenities. Funding will enable delivery to at least 20 individuals, covering staffing, household goods, transport, and monitoring. Referrals come from NYFRS, North Yorkshire Police, and other agencies. Each participant receives:

• A safer home
• Restored access to hygiene, cooking, and sleeping facilities
• Reconnection with services, family, and community
• Improved wellbeing and reduced isolation
• Signposting to further support and activities at Clifton Moor hub

Support is voluntary, trauma-informed, and rooted in compassion and trust.

“Why sit in a classroom when your learning could help someone else?”

Three13 £20,516.00 Community Fund funding – Hambleton

Funding will extend provision into 2026 by offering a further 20 people facing barriers to moving forward, training opportunities in two community settings:  Garden (existing) and Kitchen (new).  The garden project will enable participant to work towards a L1 qualification in Construction and Building Industries, Learners will be making planters from reclaimed wood and develop basic carpentry, joinery and landscaping skills in the continued renovation of the community garden. The kitchen project will also enable participants to work towards a L1 Qualification in skills for working in Catering and Hospitality Industry.  As well as the hands-on learning, the project will provide Information, Advice and Guidance in the form of coaching and advocacy, helping people to overcome barriers that are negatively impacting their ability to move forward e.g. debt, mental health, housing issues etc. Delivery will take the form of a 4-week programme (8 full-day sessions) in small cohorts (of up to 4 people) across 12 months. Emphasis is on hands-on learning that’s predominantly unplugged, nurturing communication and teamwork skills and promoting the reduced use of digital devices to improve mental health.

Volunteer It Yourself @Carlton Lodge

Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) £18,900.00 Movement Activity Sport funding – Hambleton

Funding will support the delivery of a new VIY youth and community improvement project at Carlton Lodge in Hambleton, involving and benefitting at least 15 vulnerable young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET – including those involved in/at risk of becoming involved in crime.
Over a two-week period, VIY will work with these young people to renovate and enhance facilities at Carlton Lodge, a valued local outdoor education and community hub. Participants will receive mentoring from professional tradespeople and gain City & Guilds Entry Level 3 accreditations, while improving a venue that supports alternative learning and community activity. The proposed works will include:
● Creating a bespoke drying room/shelter to store and dry wetsuits and life vests.
● Building organised storage for outdoor activity equipment.
● Painting and decorating the main hall to create a more welcoming environment.
● Designing an external mural to promote Carlton Lodge and celebrate youth achievement. These activities will provide hands-on construction experience while directly improving a key community facility. Project outputs/outcomes will include:
● 15 young people receiving hands-on training and mentoring.
● At least 75% achieving an Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditation.
● Increased work-readiness, employability skills, and raised career aspirations.
● Improved happiness and wellbeing.
● At least two young people progressing into employment or further/higher-level training post-project.

Free Play Football

Harrogate Town AFC CIO £20,000.00 Movement Activity Sport funding – Harrogate

Premier League Kicks uses the power of football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential. The programme creates opportunities for young people who are at risk of anti-social behaviour, youth violence and/or from high-need areas to regularly engage in football, sport, mentoring and personal development opportunities. As part of an inclusive approach, the programme has increased its focus on engaging girls and disabled young people. This funding will allow delivery of more sessions in areas of need in the Harrogate district. This funding will help in the following ways:
– Enable the project to operate in more communities, particularly those in areas with higher crime rates or fewer youth services.
– Aid the improvement of sports equipment and provide higher quality venues, supporting safer, well-maintained environments.
– Access to specialised training around safeguarding, conflict resolution, behaviour management and mental health. This will strengthen the positive impact on youth behaviour and engagement.
– Support the implementation of workshops on topics, such as, county lines, online safety and healthy relationships, delivered in partnership.

Inspire Community (Harrogate)

Inspire Youth Yorkshire (IYY) £29,924.00 Movement Activity Sport funding – Harrogate

IYY want to add value by expanding to another area, provide an increase in positive, diversionary activities by continuing provision and offering consistency within the communities that complements work in the area including education (Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and High Harrogate). The project will enable IYY to provide community-based youth provision, weekly open access (over 48 weeks) predominantly termtime for those aged 8 -16 years from a mobile youth base or community hub. Offering positive activities to engage in, being active or creative including informal education through a full programme of activities in relation their needs and aspirations whilst also linking to the police and crime plan, to enable young people to be safe and feel safe and say something when are not. They will have dedicated youth workers at every session, offering bespoke activities alongside Multi sports provided either by Harrogate Town AFC Community foundation or equivalent, whilst also being able to access free refreshments, and signposting to other services when applicable from a safe space.  All elements of the project will run parallel to each other where possible and the topics delivered will run parallel to that offered through North Yorkshire Police (NYP) force wide policing teams, School Liaison officer and needs identified locally through North Yorkshire Council and partners.

Hunmanby Playzone

Hunmanby Parish Council £30,000.00 Movement Activity Sport funding – Scarborough

Hunmanby Parish Council in conjunction with the Football Federation and North Yorkshire Sport will develop a new Playzone to address the lack of safe, inclusive recreational facilities for local young people and residents.  The Playzone, with flood lighting is a new all-weather, secure, multi-sport facility designed to address the need for safe youth recreation in a deprived rural area. The project is a direct response to community feedback and growing concerns about rising anti-social behaviour, particularly among young people lacking safe accessible recreational facilities. To ensure the project reflects the community needs, a comprehensive village survey spanning all age groups including societies/groups/school was conducted. The feedback highlighted an urgent need for an all weather, multi use, multi-generational facility, which can be used during the winter months when grass surfaces are unsuitable. The absence of suitable local options has contributed to rising antisocial behaviour, social isolation and declining physical activity across all age groups. The Playzone addresses all these.  The Playzone will be secure, bookable via an app and maintained by the Parish Council.

Tadcaster Barn Youth Work Project

Tadcaster and Rural Community Interest Company £7,500.00 Community Fund funding – Selby

Funding will support the continuation of youth provision in the Selby District from January to March 2026, enabling service continuity

Tadcaster and Rural Community Interest Company will work in partnership to ensure a joined up, targeted approach to identification, referral, delivery and onward support of the young people where required.  Areas has seen increases in ASB, availability of drugs and the consequences of this on young people and the services that seek to address these, including fall out for local schools has impacted.  Project delivers wide range of diversionary activities for young people in and around Tadcaster, including upgrading outdoor space so that it is available 24/7 for young people to access – a safe outdoor space, which is covered by CCTV, and is incredibly popular for young people who use it every day.

Spirit of Christmas – seasonal events

Spirit of Christmas £1,400.00 Community Fund funding – Selby & York

The project will allow families to attend a 2-hour party where they can meet, chat, network and allow children to have fun in a safe environment and not have to worry about costs. Children will also visit Santa and receive a present. Project aims to provide children with snack boxes and adults with complimentary refreshments and cake. Project will also give away books to children for free to promote reading. The Toy bank allows families to come and select / wrap a present for each child they have. The presents given away to schools in Tang Hall are predominantly books to promote reading. Selby and York YJS get involved in helping to organise and run the parties at Selby and Acomb – a different group of young people each year. Families come from known areas of depravation in York and Selby and project will work with partners to identify families to attend the event in Acomb. Delivery is in areas of known deprivation and the young people from YJS involved in the project can contribute positively to those who live around them. Project also works with other agencies to ensure that those in most need are provided for.

Beyond Boundaries

York YJS £15,000.00 Movement Activity Sport funding – York

The new project enables young people to go beyond their usual boundaries and experience sporting activities under direct supervision and guidance. This aims to increase motivation, fitness and encourage outdoor activities and pursuits. York YJS have adopted trauma informed practice and activities of this nature can empower our young people to develop healthier relationships through team building, self esteem through achievements and resilience though challenging their own anxieties when trying new activities.  This transformative project aims to use North Yorkshire Youth Activity Centre (Carlton Lodge) in Thirsk and offer different groups of 8 young people one day activity sessions on a monthly basis. The initiative will use adventure activities to foster crucial life skills such as resilience, teamwork and leadership. This will provide experiential learning opportunities that will enhance mental well being and social connections.  The goal is to empower children with the confidence and character needed to succeed beyond the classroom. The service will use the re-offending tracking tool to monitor re-offending over the period of 12 months, this will be the baseline position.

Transforming Clifton

Art of Protest Ltd £15,000.00 Community Fund funding – York

This is a partnership project to address areas of need where there are high levels of deprivation, inequality, increasing concern over county lines, exploitation, anti-social behaviour, violence against women and dilapidated areas making residents and visitors feel unsafe.  Partners have confirmed there is currently limited engagement work, or targeted community cohesion projects and this project offers an innovative solution to address these issues. The project will have cross cutting benefits and outcomes by delivering coproduced art installations through a series of spray paint workshops, reengage young people through a diversionary talent development programme and target community spaces known for anti-social and criminal behaviour. Four levels of intervention:  – Early intervention with young people identified as transitioning to secondary school (30 pupils x 2 primary schools = 540 hours engagement with 60 pupils
– Targeted intervention for adolescents vulnerable to exploitation identified by partners (30 pupils x 1 secondary  school = 270 engagement of 60 pupils
– Disrupt perpetrators by delivering workshops in areas of concern with drop in sessions Ashton park with 40 participants
– Engage the wider community to foster cohesion (2 x workshops (40) participants at Explore Library).

Brighter Futures @ Mokkha York – Rebuilding Confidence, Connection and Community

Mokkha CIC £14,000.00 Community Fund funding – York

Brighter Futures @ Mokkha York is a new project that builds on a successful eight-week pilot that achieved high engagement, positive feedback and measurable wellbeing improvements among participants in recovery, on probation or leaving supported accommodation. Evaluation showed a clear need for longer-term, structured, mixed-gender provision that combines creative recovery, peer mentoring and practical life skills. Brighter Futures @ Mokkha York is a 12-month, peer-led wellbeing and skills programme for adults overcoming addiction, homelessness, poor mental health or offending history. Co-designed with local residents, probation and recovery partners, it offers structured, creative, and skills-based alternatives that rebuild confidence, routine and community belonging. Four rolling 12-week cohorts (20–30 participants each) will run across trusted York venues ensuring accessibility and consistency. Weekly small-group sessions blend creative healing (candle-making, journaling, mindfulness), digital inclusion, peer-support circles and enterprise skills leading to community showcases at Chocolate & Co and local markets. Peer mentors with lived experience will provide follow-up contact, model safe behaviour and sustain motivation.

Outdoor Education Development Project

Excel Learning Trust t/a York High School (The Link Internal Provision) £1,500.00 Community Fund funding – York

The Link aims to reengage students by providing functional, skills-based learning and developing aspirations in young people who currently have none. Outdoor education will serve as a key part of this offer. Funding will support redevelopment of outdoor education area into a safe and productive learning space: o Create a successful alternative provision which can support students with complex needs and behaviours who are at risk of permanent exclusion
o Reduce the likelihood of students falling into unemployment and criminal activity post school
o Redevelop the outdoor area into a safe and productive learning space
o Provide an offer of outdoor education to the wider school and community through enrichment
o Develop an understanding of career paths available in agriculture / horticulture
o Pave the way for future development of the outdoor area (through staff CPD/training and further development).

Door84 All weather sports pitch

Door84 £30,000.00 Movement Activity Fund funding – York

Funding will support an all-weather sports pitch, predominantly for use by children and young people, but also the wider community. This will expand provision and address current gaps in delivery across the city, by providing a centrally based, all-year round location. Young people will engage in both structured provision and informal physical activity throughout the week. Primary aim is to deliver diversionary activity that reduces anti-social behaviour. Partnership work with Youth Justice Service, The Island, NYP and others will ensure use by key targeted groups.