We’ve invested £25million to connect young people with heritage
Heritage can help children and young people to understand the world around them, connect with people, places and communities and access learning in different environments.
Here are six inspiring projects we’ve recently funded that are creating spaces for young people to develop skills and get involved with a range of heritage.
Meet the projects
The Poor Priests’ Hospital
With our £4.4m grant, the Marlowe Theatre will repair and repurpose the 800-year-old Grade I listed building, reopening as an accessible heritage destination in Canterbury.
Young people were asked to contribute to the project plan and developed The Hive – a creative learning centre. It aims to inspire thousands of children and young people, help them feel connected to the building’s heritage and develop skills through creative activities and programmes.
Rosie, who worked on developing the Poor Priests' Hospital project, said: “It’s just such an amazing opportunity to really have our voices heard. To really be part of a change and make a difference to a place that’s so special.”
Kingsley Hall: Making Young Lives Better
In Bristol, our £6m grant will conserve and restore the Grade II* listed Kingsley Hall, built in 1706. Young people have played a key role in shaping plans, working closely with the design team to ensure the space meets their needs.
It will become a new community hub, welcoming young people who have experienced homelessness, care leavers and young people seeking asylum. They will get help to build skills, access training and employment and develop the confidence to live independently. The project aims to reach around 1,600 young people each year.
Iris, who’s contributed to the project’s plans, said: “Kingsley Hall matters because it’s a place where young people can go to figure themselves out in a very comfortable area. They can be themselves without judgement.”
Sharks Connect the Thames
We’ve awarded the Zoological Society of London £177,000 in development funding ahead of a potential delivery grant of up to £914,000. It plans to bring young people and communities together to safeguard endangered sharks and rays in the Greater Thames Estuary.
Young people aged 13–25 will lead hands-on research to better understand these species and their habitats, while community activities will build skills and inspire local action.
Unlocking Highgate Cemetery
Our £6.6m grant will support urgent conservation work – including to the Grade I listed Circle of Lebanon and the Grade II* listed Terrace Catacombs – and tackle damage caused by climate change and invasive growth at the London cemetery.
The project will also engage children via a new schools programme and offer young people gardening work placements and opportunities to build skills through creative initiatives.
Kirikou Kavuma T-Silassie from Youth Social Action Group CIC, who worked on a documentary at Highgate Cemetery, said: “The experiences and learning that I've gained here, honestly, it’s priceless. It shows working with young people and between generations and demographics, together we can create something collective.”
Transforming the South Asia Gallery
The Victoria & Albert Museum in South Kensington, London, will use our £4m grant to turn its South Asia gallery into a space that's fit for the future and a fitting home for the important collections.
The team is working with young people and a multi-generational group from the South Asian diaspora in the UK to explore themes, displays and interpretation. The co-working and co-curation approach will ensure the new gallery reflects the voices and perspectives of South Asian communities.
Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, said: “The collection is one of the most significant of its kind in the Western world and we’re enormously grateful for this grant that will help create a world-leading gallery of South Asian art and design and engage with a new generation of British, global and diasporic communities.”
Transforming the Tower of London
Our £4.5m grant will create a new learning and community centre in the historic Waterloo Block at the Tower of London, which was originally a barracks and is now home to the Jewel House.
The project will expand the Tower’s education space by 250%, allowing up to 200,000 school visits and 24,000 community participants each year. It will also create six new full-time apprenticeships and opportunities to engage people of all ages and abilities with heritage.
Developing skills for young people
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Each of these newly funded projects are exploring ways for young people to get involved with heritage, as well as offering quality apprenticeships, research opportunities and hands-on experience. They show how heritage – from historic buildings and collections to the natural world – can empower the next generation by building confidence, skills and connection with what matters to them."
Get funding for your project
Read our good practice guidance to learn about 10 principles to help you engage children and young people with heritage in a meaningful way.
