Children and young people

Heritage has a crucial role to play in enriching the lives of children and young people, creating a more inclusive society.

Since 1994, we are proud to have invested over £60million across the UK in projects working with children and young people. This includes the £10m Kick the Dust programme.

We are committed to supporting greater inclusion, diversity, access and participation in heritage – including for younger generations. We know that children and young people can play a significant role in creating innovative and exciting heritage projects that speak to them.

Explore some of our work below and find inspiration for your project, then discover whether your idea is eligible for funding.

A national Welsh flag with rainbow background.

A Welsh flag with rainbow background from the Amgueddfa Cymru–National Museum Wales collection

Projects

Hands on Heritage

The Hands on Heritage project at Amgueddfa Cymru–National Museum Wales’ enabled young people from diverse backgrounds to have an impact on the collections.

28/06/2017

Chantelle Lindsay outdoors enjoying nature

Exploring Trinidad and Tobago's natural heritage at Fort George, Port of Spain.

Blogs

Breaking down barriers to nature for young Black people

Throughout my life, telling people my aspirations to have a career in wildlife conservation has often been met with surprise and disbelief.

29/10/2020

Young people receiving training from the Windsor Fellowship

Photo credit: Windsor Fellowship

Stories

Training and employment opportunities to build a diverse heritage sector

We’ve launched a programme in partnership with Windsor Fellowship to help Black, Asian and minority ethnicity (BAME) graduates kickstart their careers.

Experimental photography at Llannon Cottage, Ceredigion

Blogs

Engaging young people in heritage from home

I often hear it said that it is difficult to get young people involved in heritage. I do not believe this to be true, and we have had no difficulty in attracting young people to be part of the Royal Commission’s youth engagement project, Unloved Heritage?. This has been running for three years now

20/04/2020

A mannequin in a T-shirt saying 'we should all be feminists'

Blogs

Reimagine, Remake, Replay: giving young women a voice in heritage

Two young women making their mark in heritage describe their experiences of a project at the Ulster Museum.

06/03/2020

Blogs

Kick the Dust - what we learned in year two

Four years ago, we set out to change the way young people are involved in and experience heritage.

03/02/2020

News

Boost for youth heritage thanks to £7million government investment

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is to distribute an extra £1.27m funding to its Kick the Dust programme, aimed at helping to involve young people in heritage.

31/01/2020

Blogs

Young people show us how it's done

On #TakeoverDay, three volunteers tell us how they're shaking up the heritage world.

22/11/2019

Antonia Canal from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Blogs

Finding 'a home' in the heritage sector

Working as a black person in the heritage sector can be isolating. Connecting with peers has been essential.

21/10/2019

News

UK's oldest children’s charity to tell the story of care

Coram has received a £1.26million National Lottery grant to digitise part of its archive, which dates back for nearly three centuries.

03/10/2019

Blogs

How a 200-year-old society is inspiring young minorities in Brum

Don't Settle Lunar Campfires provide a safe space for young people of colour to talk about their experiences. It was an honour to be involved in the first one.

27/09/2019

News

The skills programme breaking down barriers to working in Scotland’s museums

The Skills for Success programme, led by Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS) and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, has been turning the traditional recruitment processes on its head to build a workforce that better represents communities. The programme offered work-based experience at

18/09/2019

Children and young people

Children and young people

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