Children and Young People (CYP) Fund

The Children and Young People (CYP) Fund aims to support ideas that will give children and young people lifelong encounters with Jesus; grants can fund anything from resources and trips, to food and practical supplies.

It's ambition is provide a base from which small projects and ministry can build up and be linked to the Diocesan Called Together Framework. The fund has been made possible through the significant financial support of Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust.

Who has it helped already?

Thanks to a grant from the CYP Fund, the Loaves and Fishes group at St Mary’s Church, Chalk, was able to purchase a box full of friendly puppets, theatre and curtain rail to offer a friendly, if fuzzy, face to new people in the area and particularly families.

“People seem to love puppets.” says the Rev Nigel Bourne, Vicar of St Mary: “I’ve always found they are a really good way to get people’s interest.”  Without the fund Nigel says they would have had to have been more cautious about getting started.

Now though, the puppets are going down so well, they are making appearances at some of the church’s main services: “Some of our teenage members are helping to work the puppets, and so the puppets are even starting to support our ministry to our young adults too!”

• Praise parties come to Chatham: Space Rockets have been seen landing recently over St Paul with All Saints, Chatham, bringing Chip Kendal and his praise party team to lead a series of Praise Parties for local children and their families. Read more here
• Budding film makers get big break at church club: A new film club for budding animators and film makers at St George's, Weald Sevenoaks is sparking the interest of young people at the church. Read more here
• Festival fun thanks to Fund: Young people from St Justus Church in Rochester enjoyed a fantastic weekend away at the SOLID Festival. Read more here

Your project

There will be a strong emphasis on reaching the local and immediate community with a Christian ethos behind the work of the project, demonstrating the love of Christ and following Jesus’ example of enabling people to be complete and have an identity in Christ. 

Applicants must show a desire to think beyond programmes and activities by a more systematic approach integrating the wider community, understanding the characteristics and ethos of the community alongside being realistic about objectives, time frames and scope for sustainability, alongside being linked to the Diocesan “Called Together” Framework.

The Diocese and its leadership will look for areas of consistency and the areas where further development work & resource is needed within children and young people ministry, communities where deprivation and the marginalised suffer due to a lack of resource, advice and support.

What could be funded?

Projects that could be considered are discipleship, transformation, vocation, participation and raising low aspiration & self-esteem.  Our vision is to Grow, Enrich and Resource our communities, giving our children and young people hope, identity and a lifelong encounter with Jesus Christ.

Grants can be made from £1,000 - £5,000.

For details of future application dates please email: sarah.cabella@rochester.anglican.org

For more information about the fund, please see the documentation below. 

Documents

• CYP Fund Guidelines for Applications and Criteria for Grants
• Criteria Tick List for Applicants
• CYP Fund Application Form
• CYP Progress Report
• CYP Budget Sheet