Sheffield youth group wins £123,000 to turn attendees into community leaders
A Sheffield project supporting young people has been awarded over £123,000 to put participants in the driving seat.
Chilypep in Southey Green, has been awarded £123,353 over three years by South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation through Lead the Change, a funding programme supporting young people to build stronger, more connected communities.
A total of £2.6 million has been awarded to 21 organisations across the UK to support local projects.
The newly funded organisations will work alongside young people to create safe and inclusive spaces, support youth-led social action, build leadership skills, and encourage meaningful participation in community life.
The funding to Sheffield will enable Chilypep to transform its Happy Group - a long-running support group for refugee and asylum-seeking young people in Sheffield - into a youth-led programme.
Since launching in 2018, Happy Group has provided a safe, welcoming space for young people aged 14 to 25, helping them make friends, build confidence, improve their wellbeing and develop a sense of belonging while navigating challenges such as isolation, trauma, discrimination, and uncertainty around immigration status.
The project, which is expected to support around 300 young people, will enable participants to move from being attendees to becoming leaders. Through training, mentoring and paid leadership opportunities, group members will gradually take responsibility for planning and delivering sessions, activities, trips and campaigns, supported by Chilypep staff.
Lesley Pollard, CEO at Chilypep, said: “At its core, the project is built on trauma-informed youth work, strong safeguarding practices and meaningful youth participation. By our 10th anniversary in 2028, we aim for Happy Group to become a thriving youth-led programme where refugee and asylum-seeking young people feel connected, empowered and able to influence the systems and communities that affect their lives.”
Activities delivered by Happy Group range from sports, arts and cultural events to residential trips and social action projects. The project creates opportunities for young people from different backgrounds to come together, challenge stereotypes and build understanding, helping to strengthen community cohesion and reduce prejudice.
Jess O’Neill, Grants and Partnerships Manager at South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation, said: “Chilypep has developed a fantastic, sustainable peer-led model where young people shape the service themselves and develop the skills, confidence and experience to contribute back into to their communities and future careers.”