Co-designing better funding programmes with and for young people

Five years on, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have hit marginalised and minoritised communities the hardest, impacting the livelihoods of many. In response, the Funding Futures Programme, a 2024 partnership between UnLtd, Co-op Foundation, and Phoenix, is giving power to young entrepreneurs to find solutions for those who have been sidelined by the financial system. 

The Co-op Foundation is committed to being a participatory grant maker, co-designing programs with the communities we aim to support directly and through our partners and sharing learning on how to engage young people through co-design processes. Join our fireside to hear directly from young people who were involved in co-creating Funding Futures and our partners, UnLtd, who led the process. We will showcase diverse perspectives on the co-design process, including challenges we encountered and the tangible outcomes it has achieved. This session provides a safe space to discuss how to co-design funding programmes with—not just for—communities. 

Bring your curiosity and questions as we share our co-design principles and, how we identified and responded to the needs of young entrepreneurs, including accessing funding and navigating financial systems, building skills, gaining visibility, and safeguarding wellbeing. Learn how centring youth voices leads to more equitable funding approaches and helps build financial resilience during difficult times. This fireside chat invites you to reflect on your practice and explore how to create meaningful opportunities for collaboration and social change.