NSPCC & Alder Hey team up to bring Youth Bank scheme to Liverpool

Young people in Liverpool are being offered the chance to award thousands of pounds to projects across the city.

The NSPCC and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust are working together to bring the Youth Bank scheme to Liverpool.

Youth Banks are run by young people and offer individuals the chance to learn about planning, making informed decisions, interviewing and experience making a real impact in their communities.

Key to the project is giving decision making powers to young people so they can decide how money is spent in their communities, and the NSPCC is making £5,000 available for the panel to distribute.

Organisers are looking for a diverse group of 12-18 year olds in Liverpool to meet in the city centre and help shape the project.

The overall theme for the project will be safety, but how exactly that is defined will be decided by the panel in the early meetings. The young people will decide the priorities. It could range from knife crime to wellbeing, digital safety to food security.

Alex Jones, (role) with Alder Hey, said:

“This is a great opportunity for young people to get involved in making positive changes in their community. They will gain new skills in communication and money management, but just as importantly they will have fun, meet new people and be part of something special.

“We would encourage as many young people as possible to get in touch about joining the panel. We are incredibly excited to be part of this and I cannot wait to see what projects will benefit from the funding.”

Mubashar Khaliq, NSPCC Campaigns manager in Liverpool, said:

“One of the best things about Youth Bank is that it is run by young people, for young people.

“Putting the power to make potentially life-changing decisions in the hands of young people is a privilege and something we at the NSPCC are proud to be a part of. I can’t wait to see what projects get funding in the coming months. If you want to be part of something special, I would urge you to get in touch.”

To apply for Youth Bank, email alex.jones@alderhey.nhs.uk, follow the QR code, or click here. To find out more about Alder Hey, click here. To find out more about Young Bank and its international work, click here.