Groups and organisations across Knowsley have been awarded funding as part of the council’s Youth Community Fund and Short Break Small Grant Programme.
The programme, which awards grants of up to £5,000 to organisations providing positive and engaging activities for children and young people across Knowsley, has announced this year’s 17 successful projects.
The Short Break Small Grants Programme is open to community and voluntary groups working with disabled children and their families, while the Youth Community Fund is for groups and organisations to develop activities aimed at children and young people.
Recipients for the 2023/24 programme include projects providing sensory activities for children with disabilities, children’s yoga, counselling, sporting and outdoor activities, art, dance drama and online content creation sessions. See full list below.
To be eligible for the grants, the projects must provide activities in the following categories:
Youth Community Fund:
- Computer gaming, coding, animation and app workshops or activities.
- Outdoor activities including a range of sports and outdoor adventures (e.g., football, gym, roller-skating, canoeing etc)
- Creative skills such as media, graffiti, photography, dance, drama, theatre etc.
- Group project activities e.g., dance or music projects that end with a show or festival for young people.
- Independence skills such as cooking, painting and decorating etc that run alongside fun activities.
Short Break Small Grants:
- Providing short break activities for children and young people with disability needs with a particular focus on mixed activity fun days, cooking and outdoor adventures.
- Providing short break activities for young people aged 19-25 promoting independence skills and supporting transitions to adulthood.
- Delivering support to parents/carers of children and young people with a disability (e.g., parent support groups, workshops, etc)
- Supporting families with a child/ren with additional needs aged 0-4 (e.g., stay & play, outreach, network groups, etc)
- Whole family activities/events (e.g., involving parents & siblings in events, trips out, regular gatherings/groups, etc.
Cllr Margaret Harvey, Knowsley Council Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “These grants provide a wonderful opportunity to help get new projects up and running that will benefit our children and young people and those children with disabilities and their families.
“It’s really exciting to see the wide range of engaging activities which have been chosen by our young people which this funding will enable groups to deliver in our communities.”
For more information, please contact shortbreaks@knowsley.gov.uk
Groups awarded funding
Short Break Small Grant Programme
| The Sensory Hive | Sensory Bumblebees | A 60-minute session with access to the sensory gym, sensory room, rebound trampoline and immersive room.
The Sensory Processing activities will be intertwined within gym time, with an aim to improve socialisation and interaction with other children and parents and promote sensory development. |
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| Little Sunshine Mindfulness and Yoga | Well-being programme | Self-esteem, yoga and football coaching. The aim is to build children’s self confidence, physical development, resilience and ways to reduce stress. | |
| Home-Start Knowsley | The Jigsaw Project | Weekly sensory sessions for under 4’s, fortnightly coffee mornings for parent/carers and monthly Saturday groups for the whole family | |
| Together Trust | Sleep Tight Knowsley | Parent support groups and workshops for autistic children who experience sleep difficulties | |
| SportWorks | SportWorks | Our project is a weekly club that uses sport and physical activity to improve physical and mental health, alongside key outcomes around emotional and cognitive development, life skills and personal development. | |
| Vibe | Knowsley Short Breaks Outdoors | Supported and needs focused outdoor activity sessions for young people from across Knowsley with SEND. Activities on offer will include: paddlesports, Climbing/Abseiling, Walking, Archery, Bushcraft, Biking etc. All of which will be decided upon by young people | |
| Youth Community Fund | |||
| The Sensory Hive | Sensational Kids | 60-minute session with access to the sensory gym, sensory room, rebound trampoline and immersive room.
Plus 30 minutes dedicated to making a homemade snack that will change weekly, with an aim to improve functional independence skills. |
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| L14 Community Centre | Creative Futures | To enhance young people’s creative skills, self confidence and develop media and photography skills. Improving their physical and mental health by means of physical activity during the dance and drama sessions. | |
| Sports Alive | Kirkby Mixed Ages Youth and Play Sessions | Young people aged between 7-12 years will be able to attend free open access sessions. | |
| Clockwork Studios Prescot CIC | Positive Motions | Online content creation hub – supporting teens age 13+ to create good, safe online content. Including streaming via live platforms (Twitch, YouTube, TikTok) video editing, podcasting and more. Plus promoting good mental health practices with a qualified mental health nurse. | |
| Listening Ear | Emotional Youth Club (EYC) | A programme of mental health support after Counselling for CYP aged 6-17 delivered through face to face and online positive activities and 1:1 mental health drop-ins. All activities are delivered with support on hand from trained counsellors. | |
| Vibe | Knowsley Outdoor Education Club (KOEC) | Outdoor activity sessions for young people from across Knowsley. Activities on offer will include: paddlesports, Climbing/Abseiling, Walking, Archery, Bushcraft, Biking etc. All of which will be decided upon by young people | |
| Apollo Sports Club CIC | Sports in Park Qual Project | We will be doing weekly sessions on the local park in Halewood that has been blighted by ASB. There has recently been dispersal orders in Halewood and We are looking at working on Hollies Park. | |
| Centre 63 | Creative Kids | To deliver creative workshops to young
people aged 8-18 (up to 25 SEN) offering affordable, accessible arts activities that help children and young people grow in confidence. Offering free and affordable digital arts events and programs that encourage children’s and parents participation/engagement with creative writing/self portraits, and to develop Digital literacy, Creative Computing and Coding skills in a fun, social context |
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| Activate Body and Mind in Partnership with Little Players | Little Players FC Kirkby Tournament | Football tournament for U6 & U7 children to be played in Champions League and Europa Style Format. | |
| Imaginarium Theatre | Intermediate Youth Theatre | To offer a fully funded Youth Theatre for 24 YP aged between 11-14 years for 1 year | |
| Active Sport Group | Active Sport Holiday Activity Camp and Experience Days | Active Activity and Experience Days Program such as team sports, creative workshops, nature exploration, and interactive games during October and February half term. | |