"Every young person in South Yorkshire deserves the chance to discover what they're capable of"
Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard writes about a new fund he hopes will improve young people’s opportunities
Every young person in South Yorkshire deserves the chance to discover what they're capable of.
Across our region there are thousands of young people with extraordinary talent, ambition and potential. Future athletes, musicians, artists, scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs are growing up in our communities right now. But too often, opportunity doesn't meet them where they are.
As mayor, I've met countless young people whose determination and ability have blown me away. But I've also seen how financial barriers can stand in the way. The cost of equipment, specialist coaching, travel, lessons or training can sometimes be the difference between a young person taking their next step or seeing a dream slip away.
That’s why I've launched the South Yorkshire Mayor's Youth Impact Fund, a charitable fund dedicated to helping talented young people aged 11 to 19 access the opportunities, training and support they need to fulfil their potential.
The idea behind the fund is personal for me.
It comes from people I've known throughout my life, including a good friend of mine called Idris Ahmed.
Idris was one of the most naturally talented athletes I've ever met. He came to Sheffield as a child after fleeing Somalia. He won races, he was so fast he'd even beat the bus home – he was quicker than Mo Farah as a teenager.
But despite having remarkable ability, he never got the support and opportunities his talent deserved. Sadly, he died in the same week I became mayor.
The older I get, the more I realise how many stories like Idris's exist across South Yorkshire. Every community in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield is full of young people with extraordinary potential. The problem isn't a lack of talent. Too often it's a lack of opportunity.
I want South Yorkshire to be a place where a young person's future is shaped by their ambition and ability, not by their family's background or bank balance.
The Fund will provide grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 to help cover costs such as specialist coaching, equipment, course fees and travel. It starts with £25,000, with the ambition of growing to £100,000 through fundraising so we can support as many young people as possible.
Talent is everywhere in South Yorkshire. Opportunity should be too.