Talent Bonds

The only person who can really know what’s important to you is you. For that reason, we deliberately keep the criteria to a minimum.

All we ask is that the money will be spent on yourself as an individual or as a group of young people you are part of, and that it will be used to develop a talent or skill that will help you build for the future.

That said, there are some things that we won’t fund:
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• Driving lessons
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• Anything illegal or that we deem to be unsafe
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• Anything the involves the purchase of alcohol, drugs, adult material or other age-restricted items

In the past, young people have spent their Talent Bonds on:
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• Swimming lessons to help with training to pursue a career as a flight attendant
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• Art supplies to put on a youth-led exhibition in a Youth Foyer
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• Gardening equipment to create a green space for young mothers to spend quality time with their babies
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• Boxing classes to improve fitness, develop technique and build experience
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• Beauty supplies to build skills and pursue a dream of owning a salon
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• And many more brilliant ideas!

For our last round of Talent Bonds, we were able to offer a total of 20 grants of up to £300 each.

Typically, we receive 60-70 applications per round of Talent Bonds, which means you’ll generally have a 1 in 3 chance of receiving a grant when you apply. However, we may receive more or less applications each time, so these odds aren’t guaranteed.

We really wish that we could give every person who applies a Talent Bond – but, as a small charity, we only have a limited amount of money available at a time.

In previous years, we have worked with an independent panel of young people to assess applications based on how much of an impact the money would have on the person who applied.

However we are aware that this process can feel uncomfortable and sometimes unfair, especially to people who are dyslexic, neurodivergent, speak English as an additional language or who find that the application form restricts their ability to demonstrate their passion effectively.

For this round, we are considering changing the process. One idea we are exploring is a lottery system, where everyone who submits an eligible application is entered into a draw.

To us, this seems fairer – because no one should be deciding whether or not your dreams and ambitions are worth investing in but you – but we’d love to hear what YOU think.

When you submit your application, you will be asked which system you think is fairer:
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• Having your application assessed by an independent panel of young people with decisions made based on how much of an impact it will have on your life.
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• Having your application entered into a lottery with ‘winners’ chosen at random.

Whichever option receives the most votes will be the system we use.

We’re not currently accepting applications – but do check back later!

In your application, we’ll ask you (max 350 characters per question):
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• What would you like to use a Talent Bond grant for?
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• How would the money help you or your group develop a skill, talent or dream?
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• What impact would the money have on your wellbeing or your future?
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• How much money are you requesting and what are the costs for the item(s)?
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• The contact details of a member of staff in the service in which you live so that they can help us get your grant to you if you’re successful

This form asks for written responses but, if you need to or would prefer to apply in a different way, such as video, audio or through a conversation, we’re more than happy to accommodate.

We aim to get the money to the young people who have been successful within three months.

We’re happy to help!

If you have any other questions, please contact Matty on [email protected]