Hillingdon grant-makers return to PHF Offices
2nd November 2009
Paul Hamlyn Foundation has again hosted a group of young people from the Hillingdon Refugee Support Group (HRSG) as part of their Befriending Hillingdon Unaccompanied Minors Project (BHUMP), which sees them run their own grant-making programme.
Last October saw the group attend a 'Takeover Day' at Paul Hamlyn Foundation before the seven-person grants fund panel parted with £2,800 for six different projects related to the wellbeing of unaccompanied refugees or asylum seekers in Hillingdon. Examples include £400 towards a group excursion into London for young Muslims in order to gain a better understanding of its culture and heritage; £500 towards the production of a play exploring issues relevant to young people such as family, relationships, crime and drugs; and £500 on the production of a short film based on asylum seekers and their lives in Hillingdon, which was submitted to the Social Services.
This year, in conjunction with YouthBank, which provides training and support for similar initiatives across the country, they plan to spend the remainder of the £5,000 grant awarded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Social Justice programme. PHF staff taught the would-be grant-makers through a series of games and workshops last year, but this time it was the turn of the visiting young people to deliver a presentation on the positive and negative aspects of their experience and the programme in general.
The presentation was followed by a short workshop in which PHF staff gave advice on how the group could effectively promote and publicise BHUMP's second round of funding.
The day concluded with PHF Director Robert Dufton presenting the group with Open College Network accredited certificates for Introduction to Grant Making, administered by YouthBank as part of its Grantmaker Award.
"After hosting this group this time last year, it's really interesting to see how the project developed and the range of initiatives they chose to fund," said Richard King, Grants Assistant for the Social Justice programme. "These young people can draw a lot of pride from their achievements and can take great heart from the fact that they are making a difference in their area. We're all looking forward to seeing how the second round of funding goes."
Links:
Befriending Hillingdon Unaccompanied Minors Project
YouthBank
'Takeover Day at PHF' - 5/11/08
'Takeover Day guests launch own programme' - 22/6/09
PHF Social Justice programme
