I am writing to apply for a grant for from the Friends, which is set out below;

Over the last three years The Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL), working with Reading Museum, has devised and delivered a youth strategy that offers opportunities for young people from 0-25 from informal family learning and schools’ programmes to work experience and volunteering opportunities for young adults. During 2021 we shall be working on a Youth Manifesto; in effect a pledge of our commitment to young people, to be created in partnership with them.  

We are aiming to make a short film which will capture the offers we currently have for young people and can be shared across multiple platforms including The MERL and Reading Museum websites. To create the film we want to work with young people from the University and around Reading, encouraging them to share their views and ideas to become active participants in the future of both museums. 

Being a part of this project will give young people opportunities for decision-making and community involvement, as well as complementing the existing offers of volunteering, work experience and learning that are already popular with University students. 

By working with local young people and University students we will be able to ensure the longevity of the project, embedding it into the local schools and college community.  The film will allow us to promote our Manifesto at the start of each academic year.  It can also be used to support the University’s Widening Participation programme that is delivered at MERL through our own dedicated project officer.  

We should like to request the sum of £1,500 to support this process. The funds will be used to produce the film.  We shall also be using match funds from our Museums Partnership Reading budget, which is our regular funding from Arts Council England, to complete the development of the Youth Manifesto.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Isabel