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News26th September 2020

Funding boost to support families hit by COVID-19

An Ark-led charity programme to support disadvantaged young people and their families whose lives have been hit by COVID-19 has secured a £4.75m funding boost from the Government.

The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has announced today that through its Community Match Challenge scheme it will match voluntary donations Ark and its partner organisations have received to fund a range of educational and social initiatives to address particular needs.

The funding will provide increased access to digital home learning, specialist English and Maths catch-up teaching, and targeted mental health support for school children. It will also include educational and training opportunities for vulnerable and at risk young people – and provide basic necessities to families such as children’s clothes and equipment. The funds will help more than 33,000 young people and their families.

Ark launched its Coronavirus Appeal earlier this year to raise funds for its work to support children and families recover from the worst effects of the crisis.

Ark CEO Lucy Heller said: “We know that Covid-19 and its effect on learning over recent months has had a devastating impact on many children and their families, particularly those in disadvantaged communities. So, this funding is very welcome and matches the extraordinary generosity of all those who have already supported our Coronavirus Appeal. It will help us tackle the immediate needs of those most affected as well as addressing the long-term gap in education attainment that restricts the life chances of so many.

Further details of the programme will be announced by Ark soon.

Ark will be working with a range of partner charities and organisations – including Ark Schools, Ark Curriculum Plus, Little Village, Whatever it Takes and Get Further – to deliver this programme as part of its wider commitment to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, have access to the best education and life chances.

Hear from two of the partners organisations working together to deliver Ark’s programme of support:

Here’s Matt Jones, Principal of @ArkGlobeAcademy in south London, setting out why a wide-ranging Ark-led charity programme to support disadvantaged young people & families hit by Covid-19 is so important #CommunitiesCan https://t.co/IJ28nIsumA pic.twitter.com/5weUaM3i36

— Ark Schools (@ArkSchools) September 26, 2020

We’re delighted to be working with @LittleVillageHQ & other orgs as part of our programme to support disadvantaged young people & families hit by Covid-19. Here’s volunteer Tomina Duta talking about their vital work #CommunitiesCan https://t.co/IJ28nIsumA pic.twitter.com/2vLWY22Eno

— Ark Schools (@ArkSchools) September 26, 2020