London Youth Offer

What is the Youth Offer?

The Mayor of London and the Government are working together to deliver a £79 million 'London Youth Offer' to help provide more activities and services for young Londoners.

More places to go and more things to do. Young people making decisions.

The package will run over two years from 2008 to 2010, with £20 million coming from the London Development Agency (LDA) and £59 million from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

We want to increase the range of services for teenagers, provide more support for parents and give young people new opportunities to gain new skills and raise their aspirations.

A key element of the funding will encourage young Londoners to get involved in decisions about the provision of services for them across London.

What are the objectives of the Youth Offer?

The objectives for the London Youth Offer are based on those already established for the DCSF's Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF), the Youth Capital Fund (YCF) and Positive Activities for Young People programme (PAYP).

The youth funding is particularly aimed at the most deprived and hard to reach young Londoners (13 to 19) who are most likely to be victims of crime and are at risk of involvement in anti-social behaviour or street gangs. More on the objectives.

LDA funding

The £20 million funding package from the LDA will be distributed as follows:

• £6 million universal offer to provide more places to go and things to do allocated across all London boroughs using YOF / YCF formula;
• £8 million targeted offer to provide developmental and diversionary support for young people allocated across all London boroughs using PAYP formula;
• Up to £5 million for the Young Londoners' Fund to improve the quality of and access to services for young people in London.

The Young Londoners' Fund

Up to £5 million will be allocated to establish the Young Londoners' Fund.

The aim of this fund is to encourage groups and individuals to work together on a pan-London, cross-borough or pilot basis to improve the quality of and access to services for young people in London.

The Expressions of interest stage has now closed and successful organisations will be invited to submit full applications on 11 July 2008. The full application and appraisal process will be managed by Tribal on behalf of the LDA and the helpline for applicants is: info@grantsadmin.co.uk

The Youth Capital Fund is not a repair and maintenance grant. However, remodelling of existing facilities may be funded if that is what young people put forward in their application for a grant. In a similar vein, applications for refurbishment to the Mayor's Youth Offer fund are welcome.

LDA funding provides for a greater share of the YOF/YCF budget to be allocated for capital spend where this is supported by young people and the Local Authority.

Where proposals plan to allocate the majority of their Mayoral YOF/YCP budget for capital spend a business case will be required by the LDA.

How do I access funds from the Mayor's Youth Offer?

Accountability for decision-making on YOF/YCF and PAYP funds rests with the boroughs and their partners through local Children and Young People's Plans and the CYP Strategic Partnership Board.

Information for young people on how to get involved / find out about the local YOF Panel should be available from your local borough youth parliament or young people's forum.

Further information should be available from the lead officer within the local authority from the joint commissioning team or the team responsible for integrated youth support.

Contact details for all London local authorities and associated organisations are available via our links section for London Boroughs.