Leeds Rhinos Foundation has been awarded a grant from the Youth Endowment Fund to support young people at risk of being drawn into violent crime through the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the funding, Leeds Rhinos Foundation will be launching new programmes to support young people with making the transition from primary school to High School. Staff from the charity have already begun working with young people who will be going into Year 7 in the new school year an at the start of the new school year will be running a 12-week programme in high schools across Leeds, covering subjects such as respect, relationships and resilience.
This scheme has been developed to reduce stress and anxiety felt by young people who have not been able to access regular support due to social distancing and stay-at-home measures during the COVID-19 health crisis.
The Youth Endowment Fund is an independent charitable trust set up by the Home Office. It funds, supports and evaluates projects in England and Wales which work to prevent children and young people from being drawn into violent crime.
Leeds Rhinos Foundation is one of 130 organisations to share part of a £6.5m grant pot from the Youth Endowment Fund to help at-risk young people impacted by COVID-19.
Gareth Cook, Head of Community and Engagement at Leeds Rhinos Foundation, said: “We know the transition from primary school to secondary school can be a tough one for many young people and the current health crisis and restrictions to home and school life has thrown up new challenges which has meant that this has been an even more testing time than usual.
“We are grateful for this grant from the Youth Endowment Fund, which allows us to do something positive in our city to help those young people who may be impacted and we hope this varied 12-week project followed by the mentoring programme will make a real difference in supporting these young people during an important stage of their lives.”
“The course will run in Carr Manor Community School, Allerton High School, Co-Op Academy, Roundhay School and Allerton Grange starting in September and we are looking forward to working with CATCH and Carr Manor to deliver this project.”
Jon Yates, Executive Director at Youth Endowment Fund, said: “It has been too easy to forget vulnerable young people during this crisis. The pandemic has removed much of the critical support that many of them rely upon – from teachers to youth workers. This funding will help us find the best way to reach and support these young people when they most need it.”