Grants
Grants for young people supported by Mendip YMCA
- With Street Foyer, Frome Foyer and Grace Harris House, every young person setting up home in their new bedsit is given a Moving-in Grant (up to £120) to purchase things for their rooms – these belongings are then their own to keep when they move on to more permanent accommodation. The moving-in grants are mainly used to buy basics such as bedding, crockery, cutlery and electrical goods. Staff help them to decide what their priority purchases are and accompany them on their shopping trip to ensure they are getting the best value for their money. It is a really exciting time for them and the grants are always gratefully received and appreciated. We have also given Moving-in grants to other young people who have been homeless and are setting up home outside of Supported Housing Schemes in private rented accommodation or social housing with their first tenancies.
- Each of the Supported Housing Schemes has an Emergency Fund that staff can use to give the young people bus fares, emergency food, and so on.
- YWAF pays for communal activities in each of the houses so that the young people can feel part of a "family", helping them to bond together and appreciate each other' s company. We have paid for bowling, climbing and beach trips, meals out together & barbecues.
- Clothing grants are given to buy clothes and footwear to those young people who have been sleeping rough and/or sofa-surfing and have very little.
- At Christmas YWAF ensures that every young person living in each of the houses receives a £20 gift card to buy something they would like for themselves. It also pays for them to have a Christmas meal together either in a local pub, or cooked and enjoyed in their house
Grants for young people outside of Mendip YMCA
- YWAF gives grants to individuals across Mendip – these young people just need some extra support in moving on with some aspect of their life. Some examples are the purchase of college and course kits and materials, grants to help with college trips, bus fares, music lessons, clothing grants and purchase of replacement birth certificates.
- YWAF sometimes also supports the work of other charities, such as CHALISS (a counselling charity for young people in the Glastonbury area) and Options Pregnancy Crisis Centre (a pregnancy and sexual health advice charity).
Grant applications
YWAF welcomes grant applications from young people aged 16-25 living in the Mendip area and also from Community Groups directly serving this age group. Please read through the Guidelines for Applicants and download and complete the relevant application form (for individuals or community groups) and email or post them to us.
- The Guidelines for Applicants
- The Grants for Individuals application form
- The Grants for Community Groups application form