Salisbury City Councillors have approved the trial of a new grants scheme to support one of the council’s key community priorities: ‘Improving Opportunities for Young People’.

These grants will be available to any organisation or business that runs any activity, class, course or club of any kind for young people aged 11 to 19 (and up to 25 for people with special educational needs or disabilities) if they meet the grant eligibility criteria.
Over the last year, the council’s communities manager has been working with Salisbury Youth Provision Forum, a network of local youth organisations, to identify the key issues for young people in the city.
With the support of colleagues in Wiltshire Council and The Bridge Youth organisation, a consultation with young people took place in early 2022 from which a focus group was formed.
One of the key issues for young people was an inability to access activities available for them, because of the cost.

A youth focus group member said: “There are loads of things to do if you can afford them. We talk about safe spaces all the time. They are there, just not everyone can go to them.”
The recent quarterly youth provision forum survey showed that the cost of living has now also emerged as one of the top three concerns member organisations hear about from young people.
In response, Salisbury City Council is allocating £5,000 of the current youth budget to trial these youth bursary grants for the first time.

Cllr Victoria Charleston, said: “We are delighted to be offering grants this year to organisations and businesses who provide high-quality activities and learning for our young people.
“Importantly, how we spend this budget will be led by the voices of young people in our city. It is their needs and concerns we want to help address and we will continue to work with them on this.”
If you are a youth activity provider or youth organisation and would like to join the Salisbury Youth Provision forum, email bhc@salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk
Full details of the Youth Bursaries Grants, eligibility criteria and how to apply, can be found on the council website:
www.salisburycitycouncil.gov.uk/responsibilities/community-development/community-development-grant-fund