We can fund projects that will run for around five years. We can fund part of your project or all of your project. We welcome a variety of applications which may vary in the number of young people to support, geographical area and amount requested.
All projects must:
- help young people with disabilities and young people from ethnically minoritised communities to get into green careers. This might include skills development, voluntary and paid work experience, and longer-term employment.
- increase young people’s awareness of green careers
- make sure employers are set up to support young people with disabilities and young people from ethnically minoritised communities
- plan to share your learning and achievements to raise awareness and influence policy and practice. We may ask for some data to be collected in a consistent way. We’ll provide guidance to support help you do this.
We call these our funding ‘outcomes’, or the changes we want the projects we fund to make. All projects must have the ambition to see some of the young people they support progress into paid employment (as well as helping to develop their skills and experience).
We want to fund projects that support specific groups of young people
Funded projects must:
- work with young people with disabilities or young people from ethnically minoritised communities, or both. They should be involved in helping with the design, delivery and evaluation of the project
- commit to gender equality and proactively find ways to encourage people identifying as women to participate. Your project should aim for around half of the people you support identifying as women
- focus on benefitting people living in Wales
- work across a region – for example, two or more local authority areas. We do not expect to fund projects that will work across the whole of Wales
- be for young people aged between 16 and 30. Helping those who are younger than 16 can be part of your project but this should not be its focus.
What we mean by people with disabilities
We mean a person who has a physical, neurodevelopmental, cognitive, or mental health condition that substantially limits aspects of their daily life or mobility.
Your project must have the capacity to work with those with greater needs such as those with learning disabilities and autism.
What we mean by ethnically minoritised communities
We’re including Gypsy, Roma, travellers, people with refugee status and people seeking asylum. You can find out more about people seeking asylum and their permissions to work and volunteer on the GOV.UK website.
Your project should include young people furthest from the labour market
This means supporting young people who face multiple barriers to employment, such as:
- low mental or physical health
- low self-esteem and confidence
- low educational attainment
- substance misuse
- homelessness
- criminal records
- experience of childhood trauma
- those that have experienced local authority care.
This funding is not just to support young people who are not in education, employment or training. But we expect applicants to identify and work with those in greatest need of support. Young people can have got support from other services previously.
We understand that providing additional support will require more resources and will mean working with fewer young people.
We want to fund projects that complement existing and future services and activities
We know that other local, regional and national services exist for young people across Wales. Your project must show a strong understanding of how you complement what’s already available and fills a gap.
As part of this, we expect that you’ll build relationships to ease referrals to and from other services. Examples of other services include careers advice, other work placement services, education providers, other support services for young people and job centres.
We expect to fund three or four projects in total
We’ll be looking to support young people in both urban and rural communities. Rural and urban communities may differ in their approach. For example, rural communities may have more challenges around availability of jobs and travel.
What you must show to get funding
You’ll have to show us that:
- your organisation and partners are well-connected and trusted by the communities you want to work with
- you can show that you’ve worked with young people, employers, educators and other services to develop your ideas. You must also have thought about how you can support young people, whatever route they choose into a green job.
Young people from the groups you want to target have helped design your project
And will also be involved in its delivery and evaluation.
The support for young people is high-quality, bespoke and you’ll work at the pace of the young person
You must help young people to develop their confidence and you must protect their emotional wellbeing. This way, you’ll ensure that young people have the best possible experience and outcome. You’ll provide support at pre-employment, during and post-employment. You’ll also plan to work with others that are already supporting the young person. For example, their parents, carers and social workers. You’ll address any unique barriers to participation to those identifying as women.
Here's a YouTube video from Engage to Change which has an example of guiding young people.
You’ll meet national employment standards
Projects will meet Supported Employment National Occupation Standards (NOS). You’ll make sure that all young people will have access to a job coach or mentor to get the support they need. Those delivering support must be trained, or be willing to complete training, in Supported Employment Techniques within six months of employment. They will also need to work towards a Level 3 Certificate for Supported Employment Practitioners.
Your project will prepare young people for work
This might involve skills development and unpaid work experience. Each young person can do paid work placement for up to 12 months if that’s what works for them.
Work experience and work placements will be suited to the young person’s aspirations, and they may try more than one placement. The project will encourage employers to continue employing the young person after the placement has finished, wherever possible. Your project must monitor the young persons’ journey for at least 6 months post-placement.
You understand the current position and future of the economy in your region
For example, you’ll need to show that you know about current and future developments around skills and employment in the green economy. This includes the ability to build strong links with employers and you’ll help them to better understand the young person’s needs and how to adjust support them.
Your project will build understanding and awareness of future skills and green job possibilities
It will have a proactive engagement plan to help more young people to consider green careers. We also expect that you’ll offer accreditation for courses the young people do, to ensure the skills are acknowledged and understood by employers.
Your project will be delivered bilingually in English and Welsh
You’ll also need to make sure all your activities are available to your community in both languages. For further information read our guidance on managing your project bilingually or contact the Welsh Language Team by emailing WelshLanguage.Advice@TNLCommunityFund.org.uk
You should make sure your proposed budget includes costs for delivering your project bilingually, such as for translation. It may be that you also need to consider other ways to reach your target audience.
Your project will have an active policy in place to keep people safe
As your project will work with young people, you’ll need to have a policy in place that explains how they’ll be safe, including risk assessments, training and anything else required. The NCVO website has child safeguarding advice and information services.
If you get funding you’ll need to follow our policy on safeguarding children and adults at risk.
You’ll limit the impact on the environment
We want to fund projects that will minimise carbon emissions and the impact on nature and maximise environmental benefits. Read our guidance to reducing your environmental footprint.
You’ll meet Subsidy Control rules
Our grants come from public funds and successful applications will be asked to comply with the UK's International Subsidy Control Commitments. You should seek independent legal advice if you need more guidance.
Examples of projects we’ve funded before
As well as other sources, Sustainable Steps Wales – Green Careers has learnt from other programmes we have funded before, these include:
