Young people can get as creative as they like in interpreting what heritage means to them - previous projects have organised masquerade balls, photography exhibitions, fashion shows and even a circus performance.

11-25 year olds wanting to apply should come up with a creative idea and join up with a heritage and youth organisation – anything from a local museum, school or football club.

Young Roots projects are about making a real difference to the places young people live and for participants to learn valuable skills along the way. Here are some examples of projects in Wales:

• Young people interviewed some of Pwllheli Football Club’s top players from the past and present to discover the history of football in the area and its impact on the local community. They created a bilingual booklet to interpret and share their findings and held an exhibition at the football club and the local library.
• People Around Here’s 'A Woman’s Voice' project focused on Pakistani, Bengali, and Somali women exploring the heritage of Cardiff, in particular the areas of Butetown and Grangetown. Young people interviewed women from the area, held a fashion show and produced an oral history collection to be archived at the Cardiff Story Museum.
• Rhymney Comprehensive School’s Rhymney and the Second World War project allowed school pupils to discover what it was like to live through the Second World War by interviewing people who were alive at the time. They staged a play based on 'Operation Mincemeat' - where the body of a man from Pontlottyn was handed over to the Germans with false war plans.

Sally Roberts, Development Officer at HLF Wales, said: “Young Roots is all about helping young people to explore something that is important to them, from the town that they are from to their hobbies and favourite sports clubs. We’d love to hear from groups in Wales who want to know more about their favourite topic and have inventive ways of bringing this story to life. Please get in touch with us today.”

You can apply for funding at any time and it’s really easy to find out whether Young Roots is right for you. Get in touch with your local HLF team in Wales.

Find out more about the Young Roots programme NOW!

In Wales HLF has invested over £284million and supported over 2,162 projects in local communities all over the country.

Further information

For case studies, photography and further information on the projects please contact: Tom Williams, Media Officer at the Heritage Lottery Fund, tom.williams@hlf.org.uk, 020 7591 6056.