Funding received to expand Young Ambassadors programme

Bridges Project has received a transformational three-year grant of £50,000 a year from Paul Hamlyn Foundation to formalise and expand the Young Ambassadors programme.

The funding, from the Foundation’s Youth Fund, has allowed Bridges Project to hire a full-time Young Ambassadors Coordinator. She will supervise and manage young people participating in the Young Ambassadors programme and help them to develop it further. The Young Ambassadors programme is an initiative through which young people lead campaigns, participate in policy consultations and contribute to Bridges Project’s strategic planning.

The grant marks a significant development for the Young Ambassadors programme, which has been a long-term project at Bridges Project since its inception in 2022. Launched at the back of the charity’s ambition to be more youth-led, the programme has seen a massive interest among our young people.

Prior to the funding announcement from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Young Ambassadors were supervised by Neil Maclean, who volunteered his time alongside being the charity’s Listening Peers Coordinator. However, due to all the projects the Young Ambassadors have suggested to run over the past few years, it became increasingly difficult to develop the programme further without a staff member who could supervise these projects on a full-time basis. Thanks to the transformational grant, this is now possible.

Courtney Barr is the one who has taken on the challenge of becoming the first full-time Young Ambassadors Coordinator. Coming from a youth work and educational psychology background, she is very excited about the prospect.

“I’m excited to support young people to get their ideas across and give them the level of autonomy needed to be central to decision-making both at Bridges Project and in society more widely,” said Courtney.

She continued:

“The Young Ambassadors give us a unique insight into young people’s views. Their voices and opinions are important for decision-making and pivotal in ensuring that we reflect the needs of young people.”

Even though she has only worked with the Young Ambassadors for about a month, they have already impressed the new Young Ambassadors Coordinator.

“They’re so creative and passionate. They’re really invested in Bridges Project because Bridges Project has invested so much in them. They’re also so supportive of each other and have a lot of different skills and interests we can tap into. They’re simply a fantastic group of young people who embody the ethos of Bridges Project,” she said.

Daena Robertson is one of the longest-serving Young Ambassadors and is pleased the programme now can be formalised.

“It’s such an important programme to have in order to ensure that young people’s views are represented so to get this funding means that everything will be more consistent and organised,” said the 21-year-old.

Daena’s sentiments are echoed by Bridges Project’s CEO Emma Scarcliffe.

“I’m ecstatic that we’re able to formalise our Young Ambassadors programme with this funding. Paul Hamlyn Foundation have invested in us for three years, which enables us to make real change,” she said.

Emma added:

“Our dedicated Young Ambassadors already bring so much to Bridges Project and the wider community but this funding will empower the group to have greater control of the decisions that shape their lives on a larger scale, influencing the wider context and improving the lives of socially excluded and marginalised young people facing challenges and barriers to accessing support and opportunities.”