A growing North East charity for which partnership is central is looking for new organisations in the region to help it reach more families.
Kids Kabin, which was formed in 1994 to help disadvantaged young people in Newcastle gain the skills and confidence to reach their full potential, has been chosen by the Four Acre Trust to be among the recipients of its matched funding initiative, which gives charities that leverage community support up to an additional £10,000.
Part of both the Walker Workers and Newcastle’s Neighbourhood Youth Project groups, Kids Kabin, which has now established a base in Grove Hill, Middlesbrough with the support of Thirteen Housing Group, uses creative activities to give young people greater opportunities, and wants to bolster even more partnerships to help it gain the maximum it can in matched funding.
The team, which gained the accolade of North East Small Charity of the Year 2019, is hoping to work with supporters it has not yet been involved with, particularly those in its local communities within Newcastle and Middlesbrough.
The matched funding initiative was devised by Four Acre trustees to boost the social economy and sustainability of community causes by encouraging new charity partnerships and fundraising support from local donors and organisations, all of which will be matched pound for pound up to the maximum figure. Donations from £500 will be matched and must be from those that have not offered Kids Kabin any previous financial support.
Kids Kabin’s Chief Executive Will Benson said: “We’re so grateful to the Four Acre team for selecting Kids Kabin to benefit from this initiative, which will help us forge new relationships both inside and outside our region.
“We understand the lasting power of partnerships in helping everyone involved to operate more sustainably, and in helping us make an even bigger difference in the lives of more of our young people and their families.
“Although centred around matched funding, this initiative is really about stimulating community partners to work together in new ways, building long-term relationships that could have positive ripple effects for generations to come.”
The charity, which started life in an empty shop unit but now uses a fleet of bicycle trailers made by young people with the support of the team to bring its activities to areas including Cowgate, Daisy Hill, Byker, and Pottery Bank, as well as Grove Hill and Walker, isn’t only looking for financial support as there are a number of ways local organisations and individuals could help, such as by donating materials for workshops, holding a fundraiser, or skill sharing through volunteers.
Among its portable activities, Kids Kabin offers cookery, using many ingredients grown at the kitchen garden at its Walker base, as well as pottery, woodworking and bike repair. It also runs regular trips, camps and residentials across the region. Each of its sessions costs about £100 to run and this covers staff time, building costs and materials. But smaller amounts are equally as valuable, with £10 covering the cost of materials for a practical workshop, and £30 funding bike repair supplies.
Over almost 30 years, the charity has empowered more than 10,000 children to overcome countless challenges, and many of them have gone on to volunteer and work within the team, or to develop careers within youthwork, ensuring a sustainable source of community support for future years.
All donations made will be acknowledged on Kids Kabin’s social media channels and website. To find out more about how you could support Kids Kabin to reach its £10,000 goal, contact the team for a chat on 0191 295 3655 or at admin@kidskabin.org.uk. To make a one-off or regular donation to Kids Kabin, visit kidskabin.org.uk/donate, or to find out more about its work, visit kidskabin.org.uk.