What is the YPI?

The Wood Foundation’s flagship UK investment, The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), is delivered in 280 schools across Scotland. YPI is a programme that empowers young people to make a difference in their local communities while developing a range of skills.

Each participating school is responsible for directing a grant of £3,000 to a local charity championed by its young people through teamwork, research, and competition. Since the programme was launched in Scotland in 2008, more than 390,000 young people have been responsible for granting £8.5 million to small grassroots charities.

A key element of YPI is charity engagement. Young people are asked to independently identify social issues impacting their community and a local charity addressing this need. Pupils then contact their chosen charity, with teams encouraged to meet their charities either at their school or in the charity’s setting to learn more about its services and impact.

Each team of young people deliver a presentation to a panel of judges in a bid to secure their school’s £3,000 grant to be given to their chosen charity.

For a charity to be eligible for a YPI grant, they must be OSCR registered. The young people advocating for the charity must be able to tell the judges the impact the £3,000 grant will have on people in the local community. The Wood Foundation asks young people to be clear and specific on what the funds will be spent on, who will benefit, and, where possible, quantify the impact the grant will make.

To find out more about YPI, please visit https://www.thewoodfoundation.org.uk/developing-young-people-in-scotland/youth-and-philanthropy-initiative/

YPI is managed and majority funded by The Wood Foundation. 

For more information, please email ypi@thewoodfoundation.org.uk