YMCA Exeter has been awarded £19,500 from the Building Connections Fund Youth strand to help combat loneliness among young people.
YMCA Exeter has developed an innovative new strategy to tackle youth loneliness. They will work with young people to help make their existing community hub more accessible as well as run a pop-up enterprise in March where young people can build connections and tackle loneliness.
Funding is being delivered by the Co-op Foundation as part of the Building Connections Fund Youth strand, a partnership with government. YMCA Exeter is one of 145 projects that has received funding.
The Building Connections Fund is a partnership between government, Co-op Foundation the Big Lottery Fund to tackle loneliness and improve community connections. Co-op Foundation is delivering grants for all projects supported through the youth-specific strand.
Gareth Sorsby, Joint CEO at YMCA Exeter, said “We are thrilled to receive this support from the Building Connections Fund. Loneliness in young people is reaching crisis point as more and more time is spent isolated in rooms feeling connected through social media, yet lacking any true human interaction.
This funding will aid our young people to combat loneliness through joining together with staff, volunteers and the business community, co-designing a fun and exciting pop-up enterprise experience as well as a newly refurbished community hub.”
The Building Connections Fund has been awarded to more than 120 projects in December that included befriending services, community arts groups and support schemes. For YMCA Exeter The grant will help to introduce new social and professional connections which were not previously available and aims to achieve a sense of group achievement and togetherness.
For more information about The Co-op Foundation, visit www.coopfoundation.org.uk.