"Young Manchester is delighted to receive match funding from the iwill Fund and welcome the opportunity to be part of such a significant initiative to support social action across the city."
CEO of Young Manchester, Michelle Farrell-Bell
The new partnership is made possible thanks to £40 million of seed funding from government, and the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund to create the #iwill Fund. Young Manchester will be acting as a match funder and will be awarding grants in Manchester on behalf of the #iwill Fund.
The #iwill Fund supports the aims of the UK-wide #iwill campaign to increase the number of people taking part in social action. This includes activities such as campaigning, fundraising and volunteering, all of which enable young people to make a positive difference to their communities.
CEO of Young Manchester, Michelle Farrell-Bell commented, ‘’Young Manchester is delighted to receive match funding from the #iwill Fund and welcome the opportunity to be part of such a significant initiative to support social action across the city. We know the skills young people develop when volunteering and being involved in campaigning can really empower them to build their confidence and resilience. “
‘’These are the skills that will help young people to have a sense of community, make a difference and gain and retain employment. The funding will go a long way in supporting Young Manchester to embed social action in all provision that is supported through the Young Manchester Youth and Play Fund and we will be looking to support over 10,000 young people to get involved with Social Action”
Also commenting, Nigel Wilson, Chairman of Young Manchester, ‘’The match funding from the #iwill Fund is a crucial element to the development of Young Manchester and we are privileged to be recognised as a partner – it will enable us to make our mark in the City and a impactful difference to youth and play in Manchester’’.
Councillor Rahman is the Executive Member for Schools, Culture and Leisure said, ‘’Young people are the future and it’s uplifting to know that the support network for youth and play in Manchester is strong. The partnership between Young Manchester, Big Lottery Fund and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is a great one for the city and it’s an exciting time for the improvement of youth and play services in Manchester. ‘’
Gemma Bull, England Director, at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “This new partnership with Young Manchester, as part of the #iwill fund, provides an exciting opportunity to support young people to develop their skills and confidence. Thanks to National Lottery players we’re able to work with partners and their networks to reach more young people, enabling them to take the lead in creating new social action opportunities that benefit themselves and their local communities.”
The announcement comes prior to Young Manchester’s official launch on Thursday 30th November at Manchester’s digital and creative hub, The Sharp Project. The launch will see CEO Michelle Farrell-Bell present future plans for the charity and the charity’s vision during an interview with former ITV Granada director Rob McLoughlin OBE.
Attending the official launch will be prominent Manchester business men and woman including Sue Woodward and Fred Done, who will say a few words in support of the charity’s objectives, alongside Manchester Politicians and business owners. Also, young people in Manchester will be performing and exhibiting their creative and digital talents, with JD Sports PLC as the events partner.
