Funding Recommendations

Funding of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth work is spread unevenly throughout the country and projects often have to develop funding partnerships, to enable LGB youth work to thrive.

It is common for funding sources to be made up of several different funders. Historically LGB youth work has been paid for from HIV funds but with these funds decreasing it is vital for projects to build strong links with other partners and research their funding thoroughly. So:

- Develop a funding strategy and circulate it to interested parties, including young people, for feedback and advice.

- Undertake training on funding and on submitting successful funding applications.

- Use the internet to research your topic and funding applications and use as much national and local information to support your bid as possible.

- Ask successful projects how they obtained their funding.

Funding for this work is so diverse it is hard to make recommendations that will apply to specific areas of work or the needs of local LGB young people.

The need for projects and workers to record their work becomes vital when they are applying for funding and developing their work. Good practice in this area should include recording data about clients and work undertaken with them.

It is strongly recommended that the following data is recorded:

- All the LGB young people you have worked with in any setting including by phone, face-to-face, in groups, on the scene or by outreach.

- The demographics of the LGB young people you have worked with.

- The issues raised by LGB young people.

- The referrals you have made to other agencies and time spent on individual work.

- Work undertaken with partners or associated links, for example schools, police or parents.

- How LGB young people access your services, as this will provide valuable insight into how to reach your target audience effectively.

Advertising and Funding

LGB young people have been successfully attracted to youth groups by advertising. It is important to secure funding for advertising and literature in your funding bids and to produce the literature which sells your services. Good marketing will attract high numbers of LGB young people to services, which in turn increases the potential to attract further longer term funding.

It is vital to utilise LGB young people’s skills in developing media and resources and to take advice from LGB young people when developing materials aimed at attracting more service users.

This article was last reviewed on: 27/10/11
Date due for next review: 27/10/13