Local charity Brighton and Hove Speak Out will be able to do more to help young people with learning disabilities live independently thanks to a cash boost of £60,330 from Lloyds Bank Foundation and Big Lottery Fund.
The grant will allow them to fund a new advocacy programme for young adults who are leaving children’s social care services and moving on to more independent accommodation in the community. Working with St John’s Residential College, Amaze and other local partners, the programme will help support young people to make what can be a difficult and confusing transition, with confidence and that their views and needs are being heard and considered.
The charity offers one-to-one support to the young people they help, supporting them to make a plan for a more independent life as they move into adulthood. They have also set up two self-help groups which allow the young people to develop skills and confidence with others and to talk about their issues and concerns, developing a network of support as they successfully build their futures.
Sarah Pickard, Director, Speak Out said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded a grant from Lloyds Foundation to develop our advocacy work with young people with learning disabilities. The experience of young people moving on from education and children’s services can be very stressful and often their voices, desires and ambitions get lost. Our project will ensure that their voices are heard and that they are fully involved in planning the life they want. This grant is particularly welcome at a time when cuts to government funding are having a very negative impact on both local organisations and the people in our community who most need their support.”
Paul Streets OBE, Chief Executive, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales said: “With poverty and disadvantage high and rising, local charities like Speak Out are on the front line in their communities offering help to people who need it most. We are proud to be able to fund Speak Out, whose work supporting young people with learning difficulties is life-changing. We look forward to supporting them as they continue to make a lasting impact in 2018 and beyond.”
Speak Out is one of five charities in the South East supported in Lloyds Bank Foundation’s latest funding round, which awarded £346,658 across the region, tackling issues such as unemployment, domestic violence and addiction.
Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales is one of the UK’s leading community grant-makers, committed to tackling disadvantage through small and local charities. The Foundation is an independent registered charity funded by the profits of Lloyds Banking Group as part of the Group’s commitment to Helping Britain Prosper.
