Local organisations awarded funding for programmes to support Shropshire young people
Shropshire Council and its partner the Shropshire Community Foundation are pleased to announce the two organisations that have received funding to deliver local projects to support young people.
The Shropshire Youth Transformation Fund has provided grants to BizEd Projects CIC in Whitchurch and Bright Star Boxing Academy in Shifnal to deliver pilot programmes that will support youth leadership and service provision in the local authority area.
With its funding, BizEd Projects CIC in Whitchurch will undertake a county-wide review of youth provision and develop a Youth Provision Directory, as well as recruiting and training volunteers to act as Trusted Adults, providing support and guidance for young people in their communities.
Bright Star Boxing Academy in Shifnal will deliver a Youth Leadership Training Pilot that will develop young people’s leadership skills and support them to become Youth Ambassadors who can influence local services and play a more active role in shaping opportunities for their peers.
The Shropshire Youth Transformation Fund is part of the wider national Local Youth Transformation Pilot. Shropshire Council was selected in 2025 as one of 12 pilot Local Youth Transformation areas to receive national support and investment aimed at rebuilding youth services. The fund is designed to strengthen youth leadership, increase opportunities for young people, and encourage more adult volunteers to support local youth organisations. The fund will support initiatives that take learnings from the national pilot programme and adapt them for Shropshire’s communities, to support a stronger, more youth-led local youth offer.
Sonia Roberts, Trustee of Shropshire Community Foundation, which is administering the Shropshire Youth Transformation Fund on behalf of Shropshire Council, said:
“We were delighted by the strong level of interest in this Fund and are confident that both organisations will build on the foundations established by Shropshire Council to enhance opportunities for young people across the county. These pilot projects will help ensure that young people’s voices are heard, while providing valuable insights into the current landscape of youth provision in Shropshire.”
Councillor Sarah Marston, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for communities and environment, said:
“As we approach the end of the national Local Youth Transformation Pilot, it is exciting to see the learnings that have been made put into practice by local organisations with support from Shropshire Council. These initiatives will have a positive impact on young people in Shropshire, now and in the future.”
Shropshire Council commissioned Shropshire Community Foundation to offer the grants to fund short-term pilot programmes which would test and develop youth transformation initiatives for 11 to 19-year-olds.
The Shropshire Youth Transformation Fund will support practical activity that helps young people take an active role in shaping local provision, building their confidence, decision-making and leadership experience. Its focus is on strengthening youth-led services for the future, enabling local groups to create opportunities where young people are supported to lead, influence and contribute to the services and activities that matter to them.
