What is Grow Up?
Grow Up! is an East Hampshire-wide programme, funded by the UK Government, to support our rural economy, reconnect people with countryside, provide new skills, new careers and new opportunities for our residents.
Through six separate schemes, the programme will provide support for a wide range of issues spanning business support, mental health, education, social cohesion and environmental sustainability.
It will support and develop new and existing community-led projects in agriculture, horticulture, education, skills and biodiversity.
And it will deliver business support in the form of our Rural Business Network and employment support through work experience, volunteering opportunities and apprenticeships.
It will teach our children about food and where it comes from, the beautiful natural environment surrounding us and how to adapt to and prepare for climate change. It will bring together people of all ages from across the district to combat loneliness and help residents to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Together, we can create something truly amazing, that draws people together and makes a lasting impact on people’s lives.
Our six Grow Up! projects
This year Grow Up! will run six new projects supporting a cross-section of the rural community, from businesses to community groups and from job-seekers to volunteers.
Rural Grow Up! Hubs
Butser Ancient Farm - Working with Butser Ancient Farm we will help fund a new building on site that will transform the volunteering experience, create volunteering opportunities, workshops and classes. It will also provide office space and additional storage. Rural skills and traditional crafts will be taught to visitors, open days will allow more local residents to take part and courses will be shared with the community to inspire them about our local heritage and the natural environment of the South Downs.
The Rural New Directions Employment Outreach
The Rural New Directions Outreach will help people currently out of work back into economic activity. Open to all age groups, it will be aimed primarily at over 45-year-olds, who have been unemployed for six months or less to help develop skills and opportunities to get back to work.
The programme will also offer green skills courses for East Hampshire residents.
Rural Business Network
The Rural Business Network helps the council to bring together local rural businesses by providing advice, opportunities and funding to the local business community. The network also enables businesses and community groups to meet, connect and foster relationships that will strengthen the local economy and benefit the community. It will help businesses by linking up with the Kickstart Scheme and Rural Grants.
The Grow Up! Community Fund
An £80,000 fund for community groups and local councils to fund community-led initiatives that are rural in nature, sustainable, based on rural skills and support the community. It will focus on reconnecting residents with our district’s rich rural heritage, providing volunteer opportunities and strengthening community cohesion.
The fund offered grants ranging from £5,000 to £25,000.
Kickstart Scheme
The Kickstart Scheme will improve skills and employment opportunities and support local businesses by offering work placements or apprenticeships to match businesses with potential employees and part-fund six months’ salary up to the value of minimum wage.
Rural Grants
A grants scheme to improve local tourism and make stronger communities.
The fund is ideal for businesses and local groups with projects that offer attractions for visitors and tourists alongside tangible benefits to local residents.
This year the fund allocated grants of more than £300,000 across the district as part of our ambitious Grow Up! programme.
Rural grant | East Hampshire District Council (easthants.gov.uk)
Where the money comes from
The Grow Up! programme is funded by the UK Government through the UKSPF.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
Working in partnership
Grow Up! is being delivered through a partnership approach. This means we work with local stakeholders and develop existing sites to deliver the programme. This enables the funding to have the biggest impact and bring organisations and residents together through a partnership invested in growing local initiatives and providing opportunities to local people.
