“My laptop has been a tremendous help, especially since having to do college work online in 2020. In my progress meeting with my teachers, they tell me I’m a top student and all my coursework is up to the standard. I couldn’t have done this well if I hadn’t received a laptop because it would have been impossible to do my coursework on my phone.”

– Surrey Young People’s Fund grantee

Read more at our blog by Nick Brooks, Chairman of the Surrey Young People’s Fund.

Coming together in support of local young people

Established back in 2014, the Surrey Young People’s Fund (SYPF) launched to provide greater support for disadvantaged young people across the county, enabling them to gain access to training and employment opportunities. Since then, until the end of 2020, £110,000 has supported 464 determined young people, to assist them to move towards identified goals in education, training, apprenticeships, or employment.

A dedicated volunteer Panel, together with Community Foundation for Surrey staff, work to ensure the Fund supports those most in need. Small, but often lifechanging grants are awarded to young people aged 16-25, resident in Surrey, to support provision including laptops, work related clothing or training, course fees, travel costs and childcare.

Fast forward to 2020 and there is a multitude of further challenges for our young people as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic. Financial hardship, school and college closures, a significant increase in mental health issues, and a lack of social opportunities have resulted in a tsunami of pressures for this demographic.

However, it is with grateful thanks to our generous local Community Foundation Donors, that the Surrey Young People’s Fund has received a further £45,000 in donations in 2020 – confirmation that the Fund can continue to support more young people through our grant-making programme! We are working to spread awareness of the Fund to enable more young people to be supported to reach their potential through education, training and employment.

If you would like to learn more about the Surrey Young People’s Fund, and how it is providing meaningful support to Surrey’s local young residents, please read the recently published SYPF Annual Review 2020 here!

Nick Brooks, Chair, SYPF said:

“I am delighted to share our report on the progress of Surrey Young People’s Fund in 2020, in what was a uniquely challenging year for the disadvantaged young people we support across the County, as well as for our Fund volunteers, referrers and funders. We are delighted to have been able to help as many young people as we have in our 6^th year of operation, and I would like to thank all of our volunteers and donors who do so much to support young people move towards training and work.”

If you are a young person looking for support, please visit the SYPF webpage to find out more.

On behalf of us all at the Community Foundation for Surrey, thank you to everyone that is working to support young people at this critical time.