Young Start

Young Start is a funding programme that helps children and young people aged 8 to 24 in Scotland become more confident so they can realise their own potential. The programme awards money from dormant bank and building society accounts that have seen no customer-initiated activity for at least 15 years. It is run by The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland for the Scottish Government. The fund supports projects that achieve at least one of three key outcomes: improving physical, mental and emotional wellbeing; creating better connections with the wider community; or providing access to new skills and training opportunities that will help young people get a new job or start a business. Grants ranging from £20,001 to £100,000 are available for projects running up to 3 years. The programme prioritizes organisations that design their work with the children and young people they support, involving them in how they design, develop or deliver the organisation's work, making use of their skills and interests, and complementing existing services they use. Applications receive a decision within 12 weeks. The fund will pause to new applications at midday on 19 December 2025 and will reopen in Spring 2026 as improvements are made to better represent the voices and ideas of children and young people.