UK government funds enrichment activities for students
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The UK government will invest £22.5 million to expand enrichment opportunities for students in over 400 secondary schools in disadvantaged communities.
The Enrichment Expansion programme, funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and delivered with the Department for Education, aims to give more young people access to activities like sports, music, and outdoor adventures. This investment responds to a survey of 14,000 young people who expressed a need for safe spaces, mental health support, and enriching experiences.
The government hopes this programme will address disparities in access to these activities, as young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to become not in education, employment, or training without them. This initiative supports the government’s goal to halve the participation gap in enrichment activities by 2035 and aligns with new benchmarks for enrichment opportunities in schools.
The Youth Sport Trust will lead delivery of the programme, working with a team of national partners and Enrichment Co-ordinators to help schools identify gaps in their offerings and connect with local resources. Five Enrichment Ambassadors will also champion participation and share best practices in areas like arts, sports, and civic engagement, ensuring more students can benefit from these experiences.
The government also announced expansions to Young Futures Hubs and the Every Child Can programme as part of this broader effort.
