Purpose

We know that interpersonal contact between different groups, under specific optimal conditions, is one of the most effective ways to foster better inter group relations. We also know that young people are:

• A generation under pressure- concerns about money, mental health, wellbeing, friendships, education, and their future.
• Have a lack of local opportunities for in-person connection.
• Have feelings of being unheard and unsafe.

The funding will deliver:

1. Workforce development with front line youth workers
Training will focus directly on:
• Addressing behaviour that may challenge.
• Trauma-informed working and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
• Establishing a dedicated Community of Practice to prepare leaders for the exchange events
This will be open to community partners from across all 10 of the GM Local Authority areas.

2. Two Youth Exchange Events that will bring young people from a range of backgrounds together

Youth Exchange events hosted in two separate Greater Manchester boroughs. These events will bring young people together across community lines for multi-sport, creative learning, and structured dialogue designed to break down geographic and cultural barriers. The events will engage 160 young people as active, direct participants across the two large events.

3. Evaluation and impact report

The final stage of the project will focus on learning, impact appraisal, and regional dissemination and will inform how we approach this GM wide.

Decision

£10,000 in grant funding is to be provided to the Greater Manchester Youth Network (GMYN) and StreetGames UK to run a Youth Work and Doorstep Sport approach, that tests how to create the optimal conditions for social connections between Youth Workers and Young People in Greater Manchester. The grant period will be 01/07/2026-30/09/2027. The grant will exclusively be paid from GMCA to GMYN who will award smaller amounts of this £10,000 to StreetGames for their contributions.