A project offering free and underused space to young people for their creative, sporting and cultural passions has been given a £7 million injection from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) to support the expansion of somewhereto_ over the next four years.
With thousands of success stories and hundreds of spaces that would have never been accessed, the project has to date unlocked 335,500 square feet of empty or underused space across the UK, which is the equivalent of £2 million in rent value. Dv8 Sussex has enjoyed teaming up with the project in the last year too.
Originally tasked with inspiring a generation to connect with the Olympics, somewhereto_ was funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to create a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from London 2012 in communities across the UK. It is delivered by youth engagement agency Livity.
The funding will go towards expanding the reach of somewhereto_, opening up more spaces nationwide, aiming to engage 180,000 young people across the funding lifecycle and introducing a path to certification to recognise the valuable skills acquired through participation.
The funding will also allow somewhereto_ to seek out and engage NEETs (not in education, employment or training) and offer them the support required to convert their experience of somewhereto_ to a pathway to employment, training or further education. somewhereto_ will also recognise young enterprising individuals embracing the life changing opportunity that access to space gives them in realising their ambitions. We will support these budding entrepreneurs with an enterprising mentor who will provide consultative support and direct them to access specialist enterprise training and advice, to allowing them to continue their journey in realising their ambitions. The funding will also go towards recruiting regional coordinators in all areas across the UK to ensure the efficient delivery of the project on a national level.
Big Lottery Fund Board Member Rajay Naik, said: “Today’s grant continues BIG’s long history and commitment of investing in young people. Today, more than ever, it is crucial that young people have access to free space and resources which feed creativity and stimulate entrepreneurialism. Indeed, it can transform their lives and consequently strengthen our nation. Livity has a proven track record in engaging effectively with young people and we look forward to supporting them in transforming the life chances of hundreds of thousands of young people across the UK.”
Sam Conniff, somewhereto_ Project Director says: “We are delighted and privileged that BIG have awarded somewhereto_ such an incredible investment of support; not only in funding but by sharing a vision. We have a partner that recognises the broader benefits of somewhereto_ as supporters of a passion, an enterprise, and a dream, and through a network of open minded space holders, making that dream a reality.”
The news was officially announced on 6th December at an event at the Embassy of Brazil to celebrate the recent summer campaign ‘somewhereto_ show off’. The campaign saw one lucky young act go to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, home of the next Olympic Games, to film their very own promotional trailer with BAFTA award winner Adam Deacon which will be screened at the event.
For all the latest, check out the somewhereto_ website HERE and their brilliant YouTube channel HERE
