Hundreds of students to take youth work qualifications after new government investment

  • £500,000 will provide bursaries for 400 students to undertake youth work qualifications
  • Minister for Civil Society opens applications for delivery partner to distribute new Youth Worker Bursary Fund
  • Announcement comes as Minister hosts first of a series of events across the country to meet charity leaders and representatives of civil society

Hundreds of students will be able to pursue careers as youth workers through a new £500,000 bursary fund, Minister for Civil Society Baroness Barran announced today.

The fund will provide financial assistance to 400 people who otherwise could not afford to access the approved level 2 and level 3 qualifications in youth work.

The Youth Worker Bursary Fund aims to increase the number of people taking up the qualifications and ensure the sector attracts new youth workers from a variety of backgrounds.

Charities, benevolent and philanthropic organisations from across England are now able to bid to become the delivery partner of the Youth Worker Bursary Fund.

The announcement coincides with the first in a series of events across the country hosted by the Minister for Civil Society, to meet a wide variety of sector stakeholders and discuss the Civil Society Strategy.

In the coming weeks the Minister will meet individuals and organisations in Newcastle, Liverpool, Nottingham, Bradford, Norwich and Birmingham.

Minister for Civil Society, Baroness Barran said:

The UK’s civil society is the glue that holds our communities together. Having volunteered and worked in the sector for over 30 years, I know the power our charities, social enterprises and community groups have to change lives for the better.

Today and over the next few weeks I will be meeting representatives of this brilliant sector across the country to ensure the positive work of the Civil Society Strategy continues.

I look forward to listening to a wide variety of people and organisations, from national bodies to smaller grassroots charities, to ensure their voices are heard.

The Civil Society Strategy, published in August 2018, set out a bold vision for the sector. It included plans to create stronger communities, proposing significant reforms across the public and private sectors to build a fairer society.

Notes to Editors:

Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they can deliver impact across multiple regions, and that bursaries will be provided to individuals who would otherwise not be able to afford to undertake the qualification.

The application form and guidance for applicants can be found here.