We are delighted to have raised £234,953 for SELFA from The National Lottery Community Fund's Reaching Communities programme.

SELFA support children and families living in Craven, North Yorkshire, who are experiencing vulnerabilities to build resilience, thrive and achieve. Around one-in-five young people they support have autism, a third have a physical or learning disability and almost half have emotional or behavioural problems. Annually, the charity works with over 400 young people.

In 2017, we successfully raised £198,250 for SELFA from The National Lottery Community Fund's Reaching Communities programme for their project SELFA Leaders. Over four years, the project empowered 200 young people to support each other and own the delivery of SELFA’s activities – 82% said they felt significantly more independent and had a greater voice.

Last year, Chief Officer, Emma Pears asked us to help SELFA apply for a new Reaching Communities grant to build on their learning from SELFA Leaders.

Over three years, SELFA Springboard will increase the voice, participation and social action opportunities of 252 vulnerable, disadvantaged and disabled young people living in Craven. They will work with young people from the age of four to build their confidence to speak out and introduce the idea of community. As young people grow-up through the project, SELFA will support them to take ownership of identifying, planning and delivering socially impactful and progressive projects on issues they have identified.

SELFA Springboard will also provide new ways of engaging young people over 19 years, who they cannot currently support and who have limited alternatives. In consulation we designed for SELFA, one-third of older young people said they worried what they would do after leaving SELFA, many didn't feel ready to transition to adult community services.

SELFA Springboard will introduce training and additional support for vulnerable, disadvantaged and disabled young adults aged 19-25 to volunteer and use their lived experience to co-deliver activities, helping young people design and lead social action projects.

We are absolutely thrilled our application has been successful.