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In May 2022, The Essentia Foundation embarked on an important pilot initiative that aimed to provide long term financial assistance to youth organisations across Scotland. The Multi-year awards programme gave applicants the chance to apply for three-year awards of £9,000.00. This larger grant’s programme aims to foster legacy projects that will have a wider impact on the lives of young people and the groups that serve them. Following a competitive funding round, 11 organisations from a range of local authorities received an award.

In Edinburgh, Haemophilia Scotland are celebrating their multi-year award which will go towards supporting the ‘Young Bloods: Teens Living with Haemophilia’ project. This will be a three-year initiative that will help young people between the ages of 12-18 come to terms with the difficulties of having a blood disorder during their teenage years. Activities will aim to create new friendships, encourage learning around blood disorders and assist young people as they come out the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are truly delighted to have been awarded this grant by the Essentia Foundation.  Our Young Bloods project will allow us to give younger members the chance to express what it means to live with a bleeding disorder record their own story within the pages of a comic book.  This would not have been possible without the support provided by the Essentia Foundation, and we are very excited to get started.”

Alan Martin, Director

In Glasgow, a three-year award of £9,000.00 went to arts-based organisation, Hopscotch Theatre Company (HTC). HTC was established in 1987 with the aim of introducing as many children as possible to theatre at a young age. To achieve this, they create original theatre productions and creative learning experiences covering topics such as diversity, poverty, and inclusion – for local children and young people. Their three-year project will aim to provide a series of performances across primary schools in the Greater Glasgow area and will target young people who do not have traditional access to the performing arts.

“Hopscotch’s involvement in Scottish school pupil’s lives offers a creative and stimulating experience.”

Anthony Hutcheson, Learning for Sustainability Development Officer at Education Scotland.

Across the East coast and into the Central Belt, Lothian Association of Youth Clubs is celebrating their three-year award of £9,000.00. Grant monies have been awarded to support the “Aspiring Children and Young People in Lothian” programme which will provide children and young people involved in the LAYC network, the opportunity to engage in wider achievement and accredited learning activities. It is estimated that hundreds of young people will stand to directly benefit from project activities.

“LAYC were delighted to receive the news we had been successful with 3-year Essentia Foundation funding. This funding will support over 120 community-based youth and children’s groups within the LAYC network, helping to expand the accredited learning and wider achievement opportunities for children and young people across Lothian.”

Laurene Edgar, LAYC

The Essentia Foundation alongside Foundation Scotland, look forward to tracking the progress of all projects as they begin their journey in 2022. To find out more about what the Foundation has funded, take a look at our case studies?

The next round of funding is scheduled to reopen to new applications for a 12 month, small grants programme on 24^th October 2022. For further details, visit our Essentia Foundation Fund page.