ORGANISATIONS in Middlesbrough can now apply for grants of up to £10,000 for projects that help young people support each other during bereavement.

Grants are available through the Co-op Foundation’s #iwill Fund.

The Foundation expects to make about five grants in total and organisations have until midnight on Friday, April 3 to apply at www.coopfoundation.org.uk.

Successful applicants from across Middlesbrough can access funding for social action projects that equip young people with the skills they need to provide peer support.

Grants could also help young people to use their experiences as a way to speak up and recommend how local services can help other bereaved young people.

Co-op Funeralcare is a partner in this latest round of funding.

Their involvement is in direct response to findings from its ‘biggest ever survey’, which surveyed over 30,000 people to understand the nation’s experiences and attitudes towards death, dying and bereavement.

This survey found that 16 to 29-year-olds are the age group most likely to bottle up grief, with just under a quarter (24 per cent) saying they ‘kept it to themselves’ when suffering a bereavement.

Young people were also most likely to be left out of social arrangements because of bereavement.

The #iwill fund supports the aims of the #iwill campaign that wants to make social action a part of life for as many ten to 20-year-olds as possible.