The Home Secretary has today announced that EIF is one of three organisations in a partnership that will deliver the Youth Endowment Fund, a 10-year initiative to tackle the risks associated with young people becoming involved in violent behaviour and crime. We are delighted to be an integral part of a long-term, strategic initiative with real potential to improve the lives of children for many years to come.  

It is so important that the fund has been established with evidence and evaluation at its heart. We know a lot about the risk factors that make it more likely a young person becomes involved in antisocial and criminal behaviour. The YEF will allow us, over 10 years, to invest in more of the services and support that have already been shown to work in reducing these risks, and to test a range of promising and innovative approaches. This is a serious, long-term, evidence-based approach to tackling the conditions and circumstances which make criminal behaviour more likely, and – over time – to reducing the chance that children become involved in violent or other serious offences, as a victim or a perpetrator. 

The fund will be led by Impetus, a charity focused on transforming the lives of disadvantaged young people, in partnership with EIF and Social Investment Business. This partnership combines the complementary strengths of the three organisations, including Impetus’ expertise in building effective charities and programmes for disadvantaged children; our knowledge of early intervention to improve outcomes, and how to evaluate the impact of different approaches; and the experience of Social Investment Business in managing and evaluating large-scale grant programmes.