Teenagers given chance to share out £90k of grants

A group of five students, sitting around a table, with lanyards round their necks, smiling and looking at the camera. One has made the V sign, and there is paper work in front of them, and a board with figures on it. Image source, Bedford Giving
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Students from Bedford College helped decide where funds should go

  • Published

A teenager who helped choose how grants totalling £90,000 should be spent said being involved in the decision-making process was "unexpected and powerful".

Olatilewa, 18, a student at Bedford College, was part of a Youth Panel to determine where money from the charity Bedford Giving should go.

He said: "Young voices shouldn't just be heard, they should be part of the solution."

The group decided six grants should go Embrace, Fun 4 Young People, Boxing Saves Lives, Link to Change, Bedford Open Door and Faith in Queens Park, to help young people across Bedford Borough.

A group of five students in a room, with one standing up, with paper work in front of them and three adults standing behind them. They are all wearing lanyards, smiling and looking at the camera. Image source, Bedford Giving
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Olatilewa said "empathy matters as much as analysis"

Olatilewa, a T-Level business student, was part of a group of students given the power to decide how to divide up the cash.

They looked at what was needed for teenagers in Bedford and helped make decisions based on their own lived experience and insight.

He said it was "all about young people, real decisions, real funding and creating real impact".

"I didn't just learn about how charities work, I became part of the process that decides which ones get funded," he said.

"We were given something unexpected: trust, responsibility, and a seat at the table. It wasn't easy, but it was powerful.

Young people's voices shouldn't just be heard, they should be part of the solution. We're not just 'the future', we're part of the change now."

Paul Kellett, Bedford Giving's director, said: "The Youth Panel gave young people a real opportunity to influence change in their community.

"The students weren't just consulted - they were trusted to lead."

Five students, sitting around a table, looking away from the camera, with paper in front of them, all wearing lanyards, in a class room, with a dark floor, sitting on blue and grey chairs. Image source, Bedford Giving
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Students were trusted to lead, Bedford Giving said

Yiannis Koursis, from the Bedford College group, said the partnership "gives us a fantastic opportunity to involve our students directly in meaningful projects that benefit the borough, whilst also helping them to develop skills, build confidence, and understand the value of civic engagement".

He added: "Together, we are committed to creating a stronger, more prosperous Bedford where every young person has the chance to thrive."

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