Supporting young people on the Isle of Wight
What is the Move On and Thrive Fund?
Launched in April 2023, The Move On and Thrive Fund is a £240K joint investment made by The Blagrave Trust and Sovereign Network Group (SNG).
The programme aims to empower young people on the Isle of Wight to come together and discuss their experiences and issues affecting them, working together to identify possible solutions.
Led by a panel of young people driven by social change, The Move On and Thrive (MOAT) is a three-year grant-making programme. It gives community organisations and groups supporting young adults on the island the opportunity to apply for funding and resources to address some of these issues and challenges.
This is a completely youth-led programme where all young participants are equipped with the tools, resources, training, and support needed to make informed decisions and influence the programme’s strategic direction.
First round
The original idea of the Move On and Thrive Programme came from a group of young SNG residents from the Isle of Wight who shared how young adults were finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a tenancy due to several factors.
A group of seven young people were recruited to be part of our first Move on and Thrive Panel in April 23.
This group was particularly interested in reducing youth homelessness and supporting young people on the Isle of Wight to sustain a tenancy, as well as services addressing mental health issues, substance misuse, and debt.
They were also interested in projects that promote greater financial awareness and help residents feel more connected to their communities.
Round 1 of The MOAT Grants Programme was launched in June 2023. Seven applications were received, of which three projects were successful and invited to a 'Dragon’s Den style' face-to-face interview.
The successful partners were Youth Trust, Isorropia and Aspire Ryde. Find out more about each project below.
Aspire Ryde is partnering with CAB and has recruited a ‘Young Persons Specialist Mental Health Money Advice and Information Worker’ to provide information and support to help people get out of debt or manage their money more effectively.
The Specialist Worker engages with young people face-to-face at Community Hubs or in their own homes. The programme aims to impact the mental health and wellbeing of these young people.
To receive support, please email referrals@iwcab.org.uk or call the team on 01983 823898 extension 2825.
Youth Trust has employed a Youth Trust Support Worker who will assist young people at risk of homelessness and develop a strength-based personal support plan for them.
The programme aims to address the multiple and complex challenges facing young people. As resilience builds, the support worker’s involvement will decrease while remaining available as a touchpoint if needed again.
As part of the developing IOW Youth Trust Wellbeing Service, young people will also have opportunities to become more involved in the work of the Youth Trust.
They can campaign for better Island services or volunteer their time to offer peer support to others struggling with mental health, housing, finances, etc. This initiative will encourage young people to have a greater sense of belonging, reduce loneliness, and gain experiences beneficial for future employment opportunities.
If you feel you could benefit from this support, please contact the team on 01983 529 569.
Project 360 is assisting young people in avoiding homelessness by providing personal development educational workshops and life coaching to promote good mental health, resilience, and self-reliance. This empowerment enables young people to make positive life choices, engage in healthy interpersonal communication and develop confidence, assertiveness, and personal responsibility skills.
The workshop programme covers themes such as confidence and self-esteem, healthy lifestyle behaviours, communication skills, maintaining a balanced and positive mindset, emotional regulation, financial skills, and managing low mood and anxiety.
To receive this support, please contact the team at hello@isorropia.uk or call 01983 217791.
Second round
The Move On and Thrive panel 2024 is made up of 11 Isle of Wight young people. They were particularly interested in projects that will support other young people on the Isle of Wight to engage in positive activities and promote and improve their quality of life, including mental and physical health. They also wanted to see applications that provided Life Skills sessions focusing on finance, housing, and money management.
The second-year grant round launched on the 5 July and closed on the 30 August 2024. 16 applications were received, of which 5 were successful.
The successful partners chosen by the panel were People Matter IW, Ventnor Exchange, Breakout Youth, Vectis Radio and Bodster CIC.
Find out more about each project below.
Ventnor exchange is a pioneering arts organisation for the Isle of Wight. Their Brave Island programme's purpose is to tackle isolation and loneliness in young people living on the island. The funding will provide a year-round programme of 'Away Days' to allow small groups of young people the opportunity to make new friends, gain confidence, develop new skills and visit new places. These free monthly trips will provide everyone with the access to enjoy and benefit from these positive experiences.
Please visit the Brave Island website 
for more details.
The specially designed 10-week activity programme will focus on LGBTQ young people between the ages of 16-25 years old. It will focus on improving their employability, life skills, self-esteem and confidence, communication and on identifying employment opportunities. In addition, it will offer further 1:1 support sessions to focus on their aspirations and goal setting.
For more information, please email zoe.grant@breakoutyouth.org.uk.
Bodster CIC (Community Interest Company) is an equine therapy centre on the Isle of Wight. Their project will support young people learn about themselves in a non-pressurised environment, finding new directions in their lives through interaction with the ponies at the centre. The project will create positive change for young people, enabling them to have the time and space to develop trust (both with the staff and ponies) and to set small targets to work on - with the ponies and in their everyday life. They will discover what's holding them back and how to develop strategies to move forward.
For more details, please email joandgi@googlemail.com or call 07887876138.
The 4Ps Vectis Radio Training School is a community-focused organisation dedicated to providing comprehensive training in radio broadcasting and media skills. The project will provide 30 young people with practical, hands-on training to develop essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and confidence-building. The participants will also have a mentor to support them throughout the programme.
Please visit the Vectis Radio website for more details.
People Matter IW aim to provide bespoke individualised training courses for young neuro-diverse people or those with learning disabilities. The aim is to increase the autonomy of young people by equipping them with the knowledge, tools and support as they grow older and become more independent. The course will cover emotional well-being, social media (cyber safety and digital resilience), respectful relationships, sexual health, hate mate crime, safeguarding and the dangers of vaping, smoking and alcohol.
Please email admin@peoplematteriw.org for more details.
Move On and Thrive Youth Empowerment Bursary Fund
The Move On and Thrive Youth Empowerment Fund 2024 is for young people living on the Isle of Wight, between the ages of 16 and 25, who need a little extra help to ‘Move On and Thrive’!
The fund focuses on five key areas: transport costs, health and wellbeing, personal development, digital inclusion, and moving into a new home.
The programme was developed by a group of young people who have faced their own issues and feel that will a little extra financial assistance, they could have accessed more opportunities and support.
Young people will need to be referred by a registered organisation that works with young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years old.