New Youth Leadership Initiative Opens for Applications
April 1, 2026Lead the Change programme seeks to empower young people in Leeds
A new three-year initiative called Lead the Change has opened for Expressions of Interest, aiming to support young people in Leeds to take a leading role in fostering community connection and belonging. The programme is a collaboration between BBC Children in Need and several partner organisations, including the Co-op Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Henry Smith Foundation, Joseph Levy Foundation, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Postcode Justice Trust, UK Community Foundations, and The National Lottery Community Fund.
Programme objectives
Lead the Change focuses on several key goals:
- Strengthening community connection and safety
- Empowering young people as leaders, storytellers, and changemakers
- Supporting digital literacy and challenging harmful narratives
- Increasing opportunities through skills development and leadership pathways
- Building a national movement for youth-led connection and change
Types of projects eligible for funding
The programme is inviting applications for projects that support young people in driving positive change based on local priorities. Examples of activities that can be funded include:
- Safe spaces for young people to meet and connect, such as youth clubs, sports, creative, and cultural venues
- Youth-led community action and resilience projects, including co-designed initiatives and intercultural programmes
- Pathways to opportunity through skills development, mentoring, training, and connections to apprenticeships or further education
- Narrative change and digital literacy efforts aimed at tackling misinformation and promoting youth-created content
Grant details and application process
- Grant size: £123,353
- Number of grants available in Leeds: 1
- Location: Leeds
- Duration: 3 years
- Deadline for Expressions of Interest: 22 April 2026
- Notification of outcomes: May 2026
Organisations interested in applying or seeking further information can visit the Doing Good Leeds website.
Source: Doing Good Leeds
