The Austin Bailey Foundation Bridging the Gap Fund is to support people under the age of 25 to reach their potential by removing barriers to achieving academic or employment goals. We expect these grants to impact the wellbeing of the young person and lead to an increased engagement with school, college or work to further realise potential. The grants can be up to a maximum of £500 but the amount required must be itemised properly. The grant is for 1 individual child or family. We would request that you use your discernment to choose the young person whose life will be most impacted by this fund.
It is not a fund to pay for all the children who cant afford to attend a residential or all the children to go on a day trip- it is for specific children with specific needs.
The fund offers small grants to young people via partners that we work with across the Swansea area including schools, churches, and local charities. This fund is to bridge the gap between what the state offers in support and what your organisation can already meet with existing resources.
These grants could be used for a variety of reasons including but not limited to:
Bus fares to support attendance to college/school/work or extracurricular activities.
Support for subs and equipment to attend youth clubs, sports clubs, and uniformed organisations.
Emergency support for clothing, Wi-Fi, school resources, laptop, phone, shoes, sports kit, white goods, food, school meals, bus passes etc.
Cost of training or courses to increase chances of employability eg CISS.
Cost of tools or other resources to start a new job or undertake an apprenticeship.
Cost of private tuition support
Cost of a child attending residential or activity.
Support for a young person obtaining identification such as a provisional driving licence or birth certificate.
We are delighted to consider grants for other reasons if they meet the overall aim of the fund. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you want to check before applying. We aim to review the application, decide, and make a payment within just a few days of the application. During this pilot we will be asking for receipts and feedback on the grants outcomes. We expect that some of these small grants will fail and its important we also get feedback on those. We would love honest reflection rather than feeling like you have to prove a success when it wasn’t! If you would like any further information or advice you can contact Rev Steven Bunting on 07816421683 or via email at abfbtg@gmail.com.
Applications are online and are found here.