Southway is excited to have partnered with We Love MCR in delivering their new ‘Manchester's Rising Stars Fund’ - a £200,000 fund offering hope and opportunity to determined young Mancunians who need a helping hand to take their next step in education, entrepreneurship, employment, or training.

We Love MCR Charity knows that young Mancunian’s opportunities for study, business and employment have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. But something that hasn’t changed is their ambition and drive. The Manchester’s Rising Stars Fund supports talented young people to overcome the barriers they face, to become the potential rising stars who will help to shape Manchester and become the next generation of achievers. The Fund is unique – it asks young Mancunians what they believe they need to progress on their path to success, and then provides funding to enable them to achieve their ambitions.
 
The charity encourages young people living or studying in Manchester aged 16-24* to apply for an award up to the value of £2,000. (*up to 30 if the individual has lived experience of homelessness). They believe that the right support, at the right time, can be life changing for young people.  The Manchester’s Rising Stars Fund has already supported over 40 young people to take positive steps towards their goals by funding vital equipment, courses and accreditations in a successful pilot scheme.

The Manchester’s Rising Stars Fund was created with the generous support of the Sir Howard Bernstein Endowment Fund. Other partners of the fund include The Manchester College, UCEN, Manchester Young Lives, Sale Sharks, City in the Community, SENDcode, N-Gage and The Growth Company.

Marie O’Neill-Steinegger, Grants Manager for We Love MCR Charity says: 

“We’ve seen that a grant from the Manchester’s Rising Stars Fund can be life changing for some young people. The commitment today demonstrates our belief in the young people of Manchester, in their ambition and their drive to succeed, whatever the barriers are. The Fund is here to support those young people who might need some financial help to overcome these barriers, to help them become Manchester’s Rising Stars!” 

For more information about the fund please visit We Love MCR's website. You can also find guidance on applying here.