Key Elements

Keyfund is very simple, but incredibly effective. It was engineered 19 years ago. It's based on a deep scientific understanding of how we learn and develop as humans. That's why it's still as relevant and effective now as it was back then.

Groups of young people get together, supported by a trained Keyfund Facilitator. Our Facilitators work or volunteer for a huge variety of different organisations including youth offending teams, detached youth clubs, enterprise and employment programmes, scout groups, secure children's homes, schools - you name it, we have it.

Facilitators use the hook of accessing a small pot of money to initially engage young people. Once engaged, young people form their own group, give themselves a group name, and with the support of their facilitator, plan, design and budget their own project. The project can be absolutely anything they want (as long as it's safe and legal). This could be as simple as going out to try sushi for the first time or as complicated and as organising a gig or party for their community. We have all sorts of weird and wonderful projects going on at Keyfund.

Young people put a 'pin in the map' and measure their own ability of the 12 Keyfund Skills through our innovative Skills Wheel. As they progress through Keyfund they revisit the Skills Wheel to measure their distance travelled at each stage.

When they're ready, groups present their project plan and the skills they've developed to a live Keyfund panel. The panel review the project plan, but most importantly they appraise how the group have developed the 12 Keyfund Skills. The panel decides if the young people have been successful and if so awards them the money to turn their plan into a reality. We train young people and members of the community to sit on Keyfund panels. They're great fun and very rewarding.

Once the project has been completed the group send in an evaluation, their receipts and any unspent money. They then go on to the next stage. The progression through the stages keeps young people hooked for prolonged participation. At each stage, the group can access more money, but need to demonstrate how they have further developed the 12 Keyfund Skills. At stages 3 and 4 young people must show how they can benefit people other than themselves.

Stage 1 = Up to £250
Stage 2 = Up to £500
Stage 3 = Up to £1000
Stage 4 = Up to £2000