[27th March 2025]
In 2024, we received a grant from The Mayor of London through the Propel collaboration, a long-term funding collaboration that is focused on putting money and power in the hands of communities who are best placed to make change happen. Almost two years since the first Propel grants were made, London Funders (the membership body for funders in the capital and who powers the Propel collaboration) have brought together the learning that has emerged so far to inform the next stage of the collaboration and deepen our collective understanding of what it takes to both fund change and change funding. It also highlights what funded organisations are learning about creating change with and for their communities and what they need from funders to deliver this work.
Thanks to support from The Mayor of London through the Propel collaboration, we have been able to expand our specialist mental health support for young mums aged 16–25. This funding has given us the flexibility to respond to the complex challenges young mothers face, such as financial insecurity, insecure housing, isolation, and trauma, with early, consistent, and youth-friendly therapeutic interventions. We’ve seen how vital it is to offer support that is not only clinically effective, but also rooted in empathy, trust, and understanding of each young mum’s lived experience.
Our learning has shown that young mums benefit most when they are supported by services that reflect their realities and value their voices. Many of our clients have had negative experiences with statutory systems, and rebuilding trust takes time and consistency which is something that Propel’s longer-term approach makes possible. By creating safe spaces we’ve helped young mothers feel seen, supported, and empowered. This collaboration has reinforced the need to shift from short-term, top-down approaches to more equitable, community-led funding models that enable young mums to thrive.
Read the executive summary and the full report on Propel’s website here.
Propel is powered by London Funders and is supported by a a cross-sector group of funders, including Bloomberg, City Bridge Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and key advice funders, including Trust for London, and London Legal Support Trust. More information about the Propel collaboration is available here.