Organisations are encouraged to bid for ‘Green Mentors’ cash

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A COUNTY-BASED educational charity is appealing for organisations across the county that support disadvantaged young people to bid for grants worth up to £18,000 from to hire their own ‘Green Mentors’

Thanks to The Ernest Cook Trust, based in Fairford, ‘Green Mentors’ will be employed by teams to inspire young people in under-privileged communities across England to become Green Influencers.

The Trust’s Green Influencers Scheme will fund and support the 40 ‘Green Mentors’ to recruit and mentor groups of young people to participate in environmentally-friendly social action projects until January 2023.

Under the scheme, 10 to 14-yearolds will be inspired and supported to make a positive difference in their own communities as well as developing their own skills and knowledge.

This special new funding programme, set up by The Ernest Cook Trust is for registered charities and not-for-profit organisations.

The Green Influencers Scheme will see The Ernest Cook Trust fund up to £15,000 per year - around 50 per cent of a full-time salary - and an additional £3,000 for administrative costs.

Dr Victoria Edwards, chief executive of The Ernest Cook Trust, said: “Inspired by our elders, most notably Sir David Attenborough, teenagers like Greta Thunberg and Dara Mcanulty and scores of young UK citizens have been leading the climate change and wildlife crisis debate in the last couple of years.

“The Ernest Cook Trust’s new funding programme will help empower young people to positively engage in environmental social action projects.

“Our ‘Green Mentors’ will inspire disadvantaged young people to take part in campaigning, fundraising and volunteering that will have a genuine impact in their own communities, with long-lasting benefits.

“The pandemic is having such a huge impact on this sector and on the disadvantaged communities the Trust supports. Green Influencers will make a really positive difference to organisations, individuals and communities across England, all led by our terrific young people.”

The Green Influencers Scheme is a project match-funded through the #iwill Fund which receives its funding from The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department of Culture, Media & Sport are each investing £25million seed funding.

The Ernest Cook Trust is acting as a match funder, awarding grants on behalf of the #iwill Fund.

The initiative also hands participants a valuable opportunity to develop their own leadership skills. Nine young people aged 14 to 20 are members of the Scheme’s Youth Advisory Board. They have steered strategic decision-making and will help select grant awards for Green Influencers projects. The deadline for applications is October 23. Visit ernestcooktrust.org.uk.

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