#iwill Fund Impact Evaluation Interim Report

Introduction

The #iwill Fund is a national programme that helps more young people take part in Youth Social Action (YSA). It aims to increase opportunities for 10 to 25-year-olds across England. YSA supports them tackle issues that matter to them. This helps them make positive change in their communities. The fund also helps organisations learn from evidence and improve their work.

This report is the second interim report from the #iwill Fund Impact Evaluation. It looks at what has happened so far and what the evaluation has learned.

The report:

• outlines the evaluation approach

• summarises the evidence collected so far

• highlights what we have learned about the Fund's impact on young people, communities and organisations

Findings

The #iwill Fund was created to encourage collaboration in youth social action programmes (YSA) and increase investment in these programmes.

This evaluation outlines the evidence for the impact of the #iwill Fund. The evaluation used an impact data portal, case studies, and cost effectiveness analyses over three phrases. This is the second interim report.

This is a summary of the findings as of September 2025.

The funding helped provide opportunities for:

• 2,600 young people directly

• 65,000 young people indirectly

The most common activities were:

• campaigning

• helping to improve the local area

The least common YSA activities were:

• tutoring

• fundraising

The benefits of taking part in YSA for communities and young people are:

• influence in decision making

• stronger community cohesion

• increased awareness of social and environmental issues

• better school and local environments

• increased participation in climate action

There is some evidence that outcomes for marginalised groups are stronger. These groups include young people not in education, employment or training.