This summer we partnered with the Kensington + Chelsea Foundation to offer the Recover + Reconnect Summer Youth Programmes Fund, a 50/50 match-funded pot of nearly £165,000 to provide summertime informal learning for young people in Kensington and Chelsea. In total, the fund offered 13 grants of between £5,000 and £34,000 to local community organisations: ACAVA, Baraka Community Association, ClementJames Centre, Dalgarno Trust, Earl’s Court Youth Club, Eton Fives, Fit For Life Youth, Learning Club Community Association, Octavia Foundation, Playground Theatre, Rise Kids CIC, Venture Community Association and Youth Action Alliance. The grants covered a wide variety of sporting, family, and creative activities aimed at getting young people out of the house and socialising throughout the summer.

We hope these programmes will enable young people to reconnect with old friends and neighbours, make new connections and regain any confidence and sociability that may have faded during the pandemic.