YOUTH organisations in Saltash are being invited to bid for a share of a £300,000 funding pot as the town council looks to expand professional youth work across the town.

Saltash Town Council has launched a tender process for groups capable of delivering youth services between April 2026 and March 2029, marking a significant increase in investment aimed at supporting young people and tackling growing challenges facing teenagers.

Local youth groups, charities and organisations are now being asked to submit proposals outlining how they would run services in Saltash and help support vulnerable young people.

The funding will cover a three-year programme of professional youth work, with organisations expected to deliver a range of services including outreach sessions, open-access youth clubs and targeted support for young people facing specific issues.

Under the scheme, successful organisations will be required to run at least 30 detached youth work sessions – outreach work that involves youth workers meeting young people in parks, streets and other informal settings to engage those who may not attend organised youth activities.

Providers will also need to deliver at least two nights a week of open-access youth provision, giving teenagers a safe place to socialise, seek advice and take part in activities.

The council says the focus will be on supporting young people who need help the most, particularly those struggling with education, wellbeing, antisocial behaviour or social isolation.

Groups applying for the funding will need to demonstrate how they will work alongside a range of local partners including Saltash Community School, police, housing officers and organisations such as Action for Children. Collaboration is also expected with the Youth Offending Team, targeted youth support services and the Saltash Youth Network.

The council has set strict professional standards for any organisation awarded the contract. All services must be led by professionally qualified youth workers, with staff and volunteers undergoing DBS checks and receiving regular professional supervision.

Organisations must also have safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and equality policies in place.

As part of the funding arrangement, successful bidders will also be required to match the council’s funding by securing additional financial support from other sources.

The council will closely monitor the programme’s impact. Organisations will need to record data including how many young people are engaged, how many receive support, and how many are helped into education, training or employment.

They will also be expected to provide case studies showing how youth work has improved young people’s wellbeing, confidence and life opportunities.

The new tender process follows a major increase in youth service funding by the council.

For the 2026/27 financial year, £100,000 has been allocated for youth work, a significant rise on the £60,842 provided in 2025/26. During that year, two organisations – Livewire Youth Project and The Core Youth Project – each received £30,421 to deliver youth services.

Youth organisations interested in bidding must submit proposals to [email protected] by 5pm on March 30, outlining how they will deliver the services and evidence of the needs facing the young people they support.