Massive £12 million funding to aid green job access for young people with disabilities and young people from ethnically minoritised communities in Wales

Organisations across Wales are receiving funding to encourage young people to enter careers that reduce carbon emissions, restore nature and help us adapt to our changing climate.

The investment of over £12 million is being made to four organisations through Dormant Assets^* funding which is being delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.

See a full list of grants awarded.

The key focus of the Sustainable Steps Wales funding programme is to support young people with disabilities and young people from ethnically minoritised communities. By encouraging diversity in green careers, the programme is providing a helping hand to ensure opportunities for all.

Green careers encompass a wide range of roles, from administrative assistants for environmental consultants to chefs at zero waste cafés, and trainee engineers for renewable energy companies. The programme supports projects to help young people develop confidence, acquire new social and technical skills, and gain work experience and placements that could lead to long-term employment opportunities.

Mike Theodoulou, CEO of Foothold Cymru said: "Foothold Cymru, alongside our incredible partners Antur Cymru, Planed, and Menter Gorllewin Sir Gar, are delighted to have been awarded this significant funding. This grant represents a pivotal step in our mission to dismantle barriers for young people with disabilities and those from minority ethnic communities across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Powys. It will unlock doors to exciting opportunities within the burgeoning green careers sector—an area ripe with potential for innovation and growth.

Our research has shown that many young people remain unaware of the diverse opportunities within the green economy. From roles in renewable energy to positions in environmental consulting or zero-waste initiatives, this sector offers pathways that not only provide meaningful work but also contribute to a more sustainable future. Over the next five years, we aim to change this narrative by fostering awareness, building confidence, and creating accessible pathways into green careers.

This initiative is about more than just employment; it’s about empowering young people to take ownership of their futures while addressing global challenges like climate change. By equipping them with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in this sector, we are investing in a generation of changemakers who will lead Wales towards a greener, more inclusive economy."

Funding through this programme will also be provided to E.L.I.T.E Supported Employment Agency Ltd, Rhyl City Strategy CIC and Pobl Homes and Communities Ltd. These organisations, in collaboration with various partners across Wales, will create opportunities to positively impact the lives of young people. The projects will support areas throughout Wales, including Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT), Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, and regions in North Wales such as Gwynedd, Conwy, Anglesey, Denbighshire, Wrexham, and Flintshire.

Skills Minister, Jack Sargeant, said: “We’re happy to support this funding because we know the opportunities green skills for the future can bring to the Welsh economy. The community organisations in Wales receiving the dormant assets funding are providing vital support to help young people across Wales access careers in a growing sector and gain skills which will ensure a more sustainable and inclusive Wales for all.”

John Rose, Wales Director of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: "We are proud to support these four projects that aim to create a more inclusive and sustainable future for the country. By investing in young people with disabilities , and young people from ethnically minoritised communities, and providing them with the skills and opportunities to thrive in green careers, we are helping to build a greener, more diverse Wales.”

^* UK bank and building society accounts and other assets such as insurance and pensions that have been untouched for 15 or more years, where customers cannot be traced.

Date published: 10 April, 2025
Region: Wales

Notes to Editors

About The National Lottery Community Fund

We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.

We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with government to distribute vital grants and funding from key government programmes and initiatives.

As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute over £600 million a year through 13,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4 billion of funding into communities by 2030. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £49 billion has been raised and more than 690,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

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