£40k to support hundreds of young islanders to ‘Move On and Thrive’

Young people aged between 16-25 years old on the Isle of Wight are being offered new support, thanks to a £240k fund created by SNG and the Blagrave Trust.

Now into its second year, the ‘Move On and Thrive Fund’ is a three-year grants programme which is run by a panel of young people who are using their own experiences of growing up on the Island to provide support for their peers and develop crucial life skills.

Five Island based charities and community groups were selected by the panel to receive a share of nearly £40k in funding. 

In total, we've provided £120k in match funding, alongside the Blagrave Trust who has also contributed £120k to enable the fund to run over three years.

With this comprehensive community investment, more young people will learn vital life skills, and become more financially independent and confident.

The support offered by community organisations as a result of the Move On and Thrive Fund will continue to take many forms. In the first year the panel of young adults prioritised community initiatives which helped to prevent homelessness and supported young people to live independently.

As a result of the funding, 495 young islanders were given the tools for a brighter and more confident future thanks to the partnership with groups which included Youth Trust, Isorropia and Aspire Ryde. These groups will also continue to receive additional funding throughout their second year, which will take the total amount of funding awarded so far to £95k.

One of the recipients who benefited from the Isorropia programme commented: “It’s hard to put into words how much you have impacted my life. From the bottom of my heart, I really want to say thank you. If it wasn’t for the support, I don’t know if I would have had the confidence to get into my apprenticeship.”

This year the panel selected community groups and charities that would support young people on the Island to engage in activities which promote and improve their quality of life, including mental and physical health, as well as life skills, housing and money management.

Toby Eaglen, SNG’s Community Investment and Partnership Lead said: “As part of SNG’s comprehensive community investment offering, we’re always looking for ways to improve the lives of those in our communities and build on what we know really works to deliver real, long-lasting impact.

“It’s a well-known fact that many young people can face a multitude of challenges, from unemployment to homelessness and mental health issues, and that’s why we’re partnering with the Blagrave Trust to ensure that more young people have access to the tools that will help them to thrive.”

Off the back of the Move On and Thrive Fund, a related bursary fund called the Move On and Thrive Empowerment Fund has been launched by the panel.

Youth-focused organisations on the Island can find out more and are encouraged to get involved by visiting the following webpage. 

The organisations that received grants through the latest round of funding are: 

Bodster CIC (£8944)

Bodster is an equine therapy centre on the Isle of Wight. Their project will support young people to learn about themselves in a non-pressurised environment finding new directions in their lives through interaction with their ponies. The project will create positive change for young people, enabling them to have the time and space to develop trust (both with the staff and ponies) and to set small targets to work on with the ponies and in their everyday life. For more details, please email joandgi@googlemail.com 

Breakout Youth - (£5150)

The specifically designed 10-week activity programme will focus on improving employability, life skills, self-esteem and confidence, communication and identifying employment opportunities. In addition, they will offer further 1:1 support sessions to focus on aspirations and goal setting. For more information, please email zoe.grant@breakoutyouth.org.uk

Vectis Radio (£6600)

The 4Ps Vectis Radio Training School is a community-focused organisation dedicated to providing comprehensive training in radio broadcasting and media skills. The project will provide 30 young people with practical, hands-on training which will develop essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and confidence-building. The participants will be provided with a mentor that will support them throughout the duration of the programme.

For more details, please visit this webpage. 

People Matter CIC (£8590.50)

People Matter IW aims to provide bespoke individualised training courses for young neuro-diverse people or those with learning disabilities. The aim is to increase the autonomy of young people by equipping them with the knowledge, tools and support as they grow older and become more independent. The course will cover emotional well-being, social media, respectful relationships, sexual health, hate mate crime, safeguarding and dangers of vaping, smoking and alcohol. For more details, please email admin@peoplematteriw.org

Ventnor Exchange (Brave Island) - (£10,000)

The purpose of the Brave Island programme is to tackle isolation and loneliness in young people living on the Island. The funding will provide a year-round programme of 'away days' that will allow small groups of young people the opportunity to make new friends, gain confidence, develop new skills and visit new places. For more details, please visit this webpage.

For more information about the Move On and Thrive Fund, please email community.investment@sng.org.uk