Support for Children and Young People

As part of our tercentenary grants programme, we are providing funding for a Youth Hub in the Newcastle Diocese as a discrete stand-alone project forming part of the larger Lighthouse Project in Byker and also funding three youth and children’s workers in South East Northumberland. In Durham Diocese, we have funded a mobile youth service using the converted Ten10 double decker bus.

Through the Bridge Project and working with the Diocesan Board of Education, we are supporting Durham Diocese to poverty proof the school day.  Partnering with Children North East the project is working in 12-15 schools to ensure that ‘no activity or planned activity in school should identify, exclude, treat differently or make assumptions about those with less financial resource’.   This aims to improve attendance and attainment, with greater take up of free school meals, more effective use of pupil premium funding, a less costly school day, and an increase in the uptake of school trips and music tuition by the most disadvantaged pupils.

Again, through the Bridge Project,  the holiday clubs project targets low income households. They are free to access, and often food is provided for everyone attending.  Some clubs run weekly; some for a full week; some include trips; some have externally provided activities.  A networking event attracted 30 participants from 20 churches and two partner agencies.  Small grants to fund healthy food or activities were given to 15 groups.