Supporting young people to tackle division in their communities
Earlier this month we announced the launch of a new collaborative fund – Lead the Change. We’re proud to join BBC Children in Need, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Smith Foundation, Joseph Levy Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Postcode Justice Trust, UK Community Foundations and The National Lottery Community Fund in launching a fund that supports young people to tackle hate and division in their communities.
This £3.4M, three-year initiative aims to address the systemic issues causing division in communities through amplifying young people’s voices and nurturing young community leaders.
Hate divides communities, co-operation builds them
Like many, we are deeply saddened by the anti-immigration riots and violence that have taken place across the UK in recent years and the impact this has on our funded partners and the communities they support.
For more than 100 years, co-operatives have been great advocates for and builders of peace and at a time when the world and our communities at home are becoming more divided places, never have we needed co-operation more.
Speaking to other funders we knew we had to do something to stand in solidarity with the communities impacted by riots and support them to rebuild. Lead the Change is a collective effort to do that, recognising that we can deliver something much greater when we work in partnership with others.
Young people are critical to rebuilding communities
When there is division in communities, young people often feel silenced, targeted or like they have no power – but their voice and leadership is critical to rebuilding our communities.
At Co-op Foundation, we’ve seen the incredible impact young people can have in transforming their communities. By amplifying young people’s voices and nurturing young leaders, we can help to build a more connected, compassionate, and inclusive future for us all.
Lead the Change is designed to provide safe, supportive spaces where young people can come together to share experiences, build positive relationships, and take the lead in breaking down the division.
The initiative will:
- Create safe physical spaces for young people to meet and connect
- Build their leadership, confidence and community-organising skills
- Help them challenge misinformation and harmful narratives
- Support community-led projects shaped directly by young people
About the fund
Lead the Change will be delivered by 17 community foundations across the UK through a place-based model over two phases.
Phase one will award 20 grants of £123,353 over three years to support targeted localities that were directly affected by the summer 2024 riots and correspond to areas where young people are most affected by community division and where local organisations are best placed to deliver targeted support and impact.
During the first year, the participating community foundations will seek to raise additional investment to grow the overall fund to £5.5 million. This expansion will support phase two, which will provide further funding in the form of small grants to grassroots organisations for up to two years.
The fund will open to Expressions of Interest early April 2026, you can find out more, including the eligibility criteria on the UK community foundations website.