010803 Thousands of young people to be helped by the Community Fund

Diana Brittan, Chair of the Community Fund said: “The grants awarded to Family Mediation Scotland, Safe in the City, the Buttle Trust, Papyrus and the Howard League will ultimately improve thousands of young people’s lives. Each research project will, I hope, enable a better understanding of young people’s needs and will help to design better services to help them through difficult times.”

Family Mediation Scotland, an organisation which provides support services for young people experiencing family breakdown, has received £166,730. The social research project will utilise young people's experiences and perspectives to inform and shape support services for young people whose family households have been changed by the separation of parents, the re-partnering of a parent or the death of a parent.

Elizabeth Foster, Director of Family Mediation Scotland, said: “Young people are competent, active and interactive members of society, whose voices should be heard in the framing of policy and practice in all areas affecting them.
“This project is about reducing social exclusion of young people, including those from minority ethnic groups – it is wonderful that support from the Community Fund will allow us to achieve this through finding new and appropriate ways of supporting young people experiencing regrouping of their family household.”

Safe in the City, which helps teenagers tackle problems in their home, school and personal lives, has been awarded £155,659 over three years to conduct a study which will gain a comprehensive understanding of young peoples’ perceptions of homelessness. The findings will be used to inform the development of future homelessness prevention services by making them more accessible to those who are hardest to reach.

Dr Marcia Brophy, Research Manager of Safe in the City, said: "The Community Fund research grant enables Safe in the City to interview a variety of young people and their parents/carers about their perceptions, experiences and stereotypes of homelessness. The results of this study will provide Safe in the City and other service providers with a greater understanding of how to develop and implement services that are both relevant and meet the needs of its current and future service users."

The Buttle Trust has received £179,389 over two years to improve life for children growing up in poverty. The project will inform the development of services which aim to support families living in poverty and to protect children from maltreatment. The grant will fully fund two research officers, training for beneficiaries, research equipment and other associated project expenses.

Papyrus has been awarded £177,818 for research into student suicide, which affects family, friends, other students and staff. The project aims to establish evidence of vulnerability factors in cases of student suicide and investigate good practices in responding to student suicide.

The Howard League, the oldest penal reform charity in the UK, has been awarded a £177,612 grant over three years to explore ways to reduce re-offending by young men aged 18-20 after release from a short prison sentence (up to 12 months) by providing services which suit their needs. The project aims to enhance their prospects for social integration in their communities.

Other groups to be awarded funding today by the Community Fund include Age Concern Oxfordshire, Aspire, National Society for Epilespy, St Ann’s Hospice and Action on Addiction.

Notes for Editors:
1. The Community Fund gives out money raised by the National Lottery to charities and to voluntary and community groups. Out of every £1 spent on the National Lottery the Community Fund gets 4.7 pence.
2. The legal name of the Community Fund remains the National Lottery Charities Board. The National Lottery Charities Board was set up in 1994 and changed its operating name to Community Fund - Lottery money making a difference, in April 2001.
3. The Community Fund has awarded £12,008,994 to disadvantaged community groups under its Research Grants Programme since it was established in June 2001. The Programme’s main priority areas are young people, old people, people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and people with learning difficulties.