Public and third sector
Child Friendly Leeds has one simple goal - to make Leeds the best city for children and young people to grow up in. We can only do this when we work in partnership to ensure that we achieve the best outcomes for children, young people and families. Ambassadors all play their part, whether your a third-sector organisation working frontline or a large business taking on apprenticeships through social value. We often connect businesses an third sector partners so they can work together.
By joining the Child Friendly Leeds ambassador network, you will be invited to events and workshops focused on themes most important to children and young people. We celebrate and recognise the contributions of our ambassadors through our awards, which is planned and delivered by young people. We have over 25k followers on social media and every day we champion and promote the work of our ambassadors. As an ambassador, you will be the first to know about grant opportunities such as Healthy Holidays and Play Enabling Grants and complimentary experience days in the city. In addition, we regularly connect organisations with people in other areas of the council or other ambassadors that may be able to assist you and support you.
Child Friendly Leeds know that public and third sector organisations in Leeds share our determination to support children, young people and their families. Together, we can make a real difference to children, young people and their families in the city.
Since becoming a Child Friendly Leeds Ambassador this year, we have really valued having the support from the team and how our work at NSPCC supports the CFL wishes and wider priorities of the service. The information and connections the team have shared have been invaluable and much appreciated.
Baby Week
Baby Week is a registered charity who promote the best start in life for babies and children. Child Friendly Leeds work in partnership with Baby Week each year to deliver a week-long celebration of the Early Years, from 14 to 20 November. During the week, services that work with expectant parents and parents of 0 to 5 year-olds provide free or low cost events.
CFL and the public sector
70+ Child Friendly Leeds ambassadors are from the public sector and have worked with us on a number of health, policy and educational projects.
Case study – Child Friendly Leeds partnership with The University of Leeds
The University of Leeds’ Public Engagement team have a partnership with Child Friendly Leeds with a shared commitment to making Leeds the best city to grow up in for children and young people. Colleagues from the university have been involved in supporting the child friendly ambition from the start but this new relationship has taken a lead as a key ambassador. The Public Engagement team advocates for the 12 Wishes across the University and assists teams and researchers in aligning their projects.
The partnership ensures the impacts and activities already happening in the University are acknowledged city-wide. Leeds pioneered the Child Friendly City initiative, which is now emulated nationwide. As a major institution in the city, the University of Leeds, has a responsibility to contribute to Child Friendly Leeds. The partnership aims to facilitate collaboration among the diverse projects happening across the University and with teams that can support and deliver the projects and more recently the University of Leeds sponsored the Child Friendly Leeds Awards.
CFL and the third sector
163 of current CFL ambassadors are from the third sector. CFL aim to support third sector groups who are delivering the vital often ‘on-the-ground’ services to children, young people and families.
The CFL Enrichment offer
The Child Friendly Leeds team delivers an enrichment offer for care-experienced children and young people. The offer includes providing projects, free access to events, and opportunities for seldom heard communities. If your teams/service works directly with care experienced families, get in touch with us to enquire about being added to our enrichment recipient list at childfriendlyleeds@leeds.gov.uk
Learn more about the different types of Fostering.
Funding, commissioning and grants
Child Friendly Leeds manage two grant funds: Play Enabling Grant; and the Play Streets Enablement Grant. You can find out more about both of these grants in the ‘play’ section of our website.
Key highlights:
- In June 2024, £36,000 was shared between 11 projects. Each project will provide different playful opportunities for children and young people, until April 2025.
- The Play Streets Enablement Grant commissions third sector partners to support residents to establish, and sustain, play streets in their neighbourhoods. The project also works closely with organisations committed to climate action to support residents to positively impact the environment where they live.
If you aren’t already, you may wish to sign up to the Voluntary Action newsletter, Funding Information & Support for organisations, using the link below, just tick the box marked Funding Information.