Young people will lead a new movement for change across the Fylde Coast with a new initiative that will unlock £800,000 of investment, support hundreds of young people and place youth-led social action at the heart of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.
A major new initiative will launch across Blackpool, Fylde, and Wyre, placing young people at the heart of community change, following a significant investment through the #iwill Fund.
United Youth Alliance (UYA) has secured £400,000 from the national #iwill Fund programme, unlocking a total investment of £800,000 through matched funding to establish a Coast of Social Action across the Fylde Coast.
Running until June 2027, the programme will support hundreds of young people to identify local challenges, develop solutions and lead projects that make a positive difference within their communities.
The investment represents one of the largest coordinated commitments to youth-led social action ever seen on the Fylde Coast and will bring together young people, community organisations, schools, youth groups, local authorities and funders behind a shared ambition: creating communities where young people are recognised as active contributors and leaders of change.
At the centre of the programme will be three new Social Action Hubs, based across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. These hubs will provide opportunities for young people to come together, explore issues affecting their communities and develop projects that reflect local priorities.
Alongside this, a youth-led grants programme will place funding decisions directly into the hands of young people, enabling grassroots organisations and community groups to access investment up to £25k for projects that are shaped by young people and delivered within their communities.
The program aims to engage more than 600 young people over the next year, with at least 90 of them taking on formal leadership roles through social action projects.
United Youth Alliance will deliver the programme in partnership with Volunteer Centre Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde, Blackpool Council, Fylde Council, Wyre Council, The Boathouse Youth, StreetGames, Blackpool Boys & Girls Club, the Blackpool Youth Providers Partnership and the Wyre & Fylde Youth Practitioners Partnership.
Deborah Terras, Chief Executive Officer of United Youth Alliance, said:
“Receiving #iwill funding further strengthens our commitment to embedding social action across the Fylde Coast.
Since 2019, UYA has been leading and championing youth social action opportunities across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. This investment enables us to build on that foundation and systematically embed the principles of youth social action across multiple organisations and communities through our delivery partners.
Through the development of Social Action Hubs across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, we will create opportunities for young people and organisations to access funding for grassroots projects shaped by the unique needs, aspirations and ambitions of young people themselves.
This is about creating the conditions for young people to lead change in their communities and ensuring their voices influence the future of the places they live.”
Jake Adams, Director and Chief Operating Officer of United Youth Alliance, said:
“The Fylde Coast has incredible young people. Too often, decisions are made about them rather than with them, and the Coast of Social Action is about changing that.
This programme creates a structure through which young people can influence their communities, access resources, test ideas and develop the confidence to become leaders in their own right.
We want social action to become part of the culture of the Fylde Coast. Not a short-term project or a funding programme, but something that becomes embedded in how organisations work, how communities develop and how young people see their role in society.
If we get this right, the legacy won’t simply be the projects delivered over the next twelve months. The legacy will be stronger communities, stronger partnerships and a generation of young people who know they have the power to shape the future of the place they call home.”
As well as supporting direct delivery, the programme will explore how youth voice can be embedded within local funding and decision-making structures, helping ensure young people continue to influence investment and community development long after the programme concludes.
The Coast of Social Action program is part of a wider national movement supported by the #iwill Fund, which exists to increase opportunities for young people to participate in meaningful social action and develop the skills, confidence, and leadership needed to make a positive difference in their communities.
The #iwill Fund is made possible thanks to £89 million joint investment from The National Lottery Community Fund, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to support young people to access high quality social action opportunities.
