The Zone Youth Project is preparing to launch a new programme of outdoor activities for homeless young people thanks to generous funding from the Nottingham Building Society.
Supporting vulnerable young people
As a local charity working to improve the lives and aspirations of young people in Nottingham, ‘The Zone’ team is enormously grateful for the building society (known as The Nottingham) awarding £3,000 to develop their frontline services.
The grant is part of The Nottingham’s ‘Grants for Good‘ initiative, which is administered by Nottinghamshire Community Foundation and supports local charities in tackling issues such as homelessness, employability and education.
Thanks to this financial backing, The Zone plans to run an eight-week programme to empower homeless young people (aged 18-25) with a series of outdoor and team-building activities, with an aim to helping them reintegrate into their communities.
‘Break the cycle of homelessness’
The project will be delivered in partnership with Nottinghamshire YMCA and the activities conducted by this regional charity’s Outdoor Education and Adventure Services Manager, Gavin Barker.
“It is our mission to break the cycle of homelessness through innovative programmes,” explained Tamara Kenna, Funding Officer at The Zone Youth Project.
“The incredible support of The Nottingham will enable us to teach valuable life skills via this outdoor education initiative, and equip young people with the tools needed for entering into training or employment.
“We believe in creating a holistic approach to learning so that participants experience team-building and practical activities such as cycling in a relaxed, safe and, most importantly, non-judgemental environment.
“It is often only at the end of these kinds of programmes that participants suddenly realise how they have been fully kitted with an array of invaluable life skills that will help to make their futures so much brighter.”
‘Fantastic and inspirational’ cause…
In a ceremony at The Nottingham’s head office recently, cheques to the value of nearly £32,000 were presented to The Zone Youth Project and eight other equally deserving organisations from across the society’s heartland.
Chief Executive of The Nottingham, David Marlow, said: “We were delighted to present the money to such fantastic and inspirational organisations – all of whom work at the heart of our communities and very much under The Nottingham’s ethos of supporting financial education, homelessness, and employability projects.
“Grants For Good is part of the society’s ‘Doing Good Together’ programme, which since it was launched in 2010 has donated over £950,000 to good causes close to branches across our heartland.”
Find out more or get involved by visiting The Zone Youth Project or Nottinghamshire YMCA websites.