Over 150 young people from the Basildon, Brentwood and Wickford areas are enjoying brighter futures thanks to a £6,270 grant to Kool Carers from the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit.
The Violence and Vulnerability Unit Community Grant Scheme (VVUCGS) is available annually for local groups to develop bespoke support for young people. Applications for activities in 2025/26 are now open, entries close on Monday 23 September 2024.
Thanks to funding from the 2023/24 VVU grant, Kool Carers was able to have a series of 28 sessions for young carers and their parents around keeping safe online, cyber-bullying, county lines and drug awareness. The sessions also gave young people the chance to meet others in a similar situation, a rest away from caring responsibilities, and helped give them self-esteem and confidence.
Rachel Tongate, Founder and CEO, Kool Carers said: “The funding from VVU has allowed Kool Carers to provide these vital sessions not only to young carers but to their parents too. These are very vulnerable young people, who often miss out on education and deserve the best in life.”
Kool Carers was just one of 17 community groups who in 2023/24 helped support more than 7000 young people across the county with a wide range of interactive projects. In a recent survey that asked about the impact of the project, 82 per cent of participants agreed the project they attended has helped them to make positive choices around keeping safe and had a positive impact on their mental health.¹
Today, Roger Hirst, Chair of the Violence and Vulnerability Partnership and Police Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex thanked Kool Carers for supporting young people in Brentwood, Basildon and Wickford.
Mr Hirst said: “We must never underestimate the fantastic work being delivered by local organisations in communities right across the county. The projects, embedded in their local area, understand the needs of the young people they are working with, and can provide the support needed to address risk factors such as violence, lack of engagement in education, isolation and poor mental health. So many young people have been helped thanks to the 23/24 VVUCGS and I encourage organisations to apply for next year’s grant and continue this great work.”
Kool Carers helped build trusted connections with adults, together with facilitating support around education, physical and mental wellbeing and wider family needs.
To discover more and to apply for the Violence and Vulnerability Unit Community Grant Scheme, visit www.ecvys.org.uk/funding-news.
