Kingston upon Thames is set to bolster its support for young people and community initiatives following a recent meeting of the Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee.
The committee approved funding for youth mentoring programmes and Catalyst Grants, demonstrating a commitment to investing in the borough's future.
Two local organisations, Kingston Giving and Oxygen, will receive £3,000 each to support their respective programmes. The decisions were made at the committee meeting on Thursday 02 October 2025.
Kingston Giving's £3,000 will support approximately 9-18 grants. The Catalyst Grants programme will provide small, flexible grants of £150-£300 directly to Kingston and North Kingston residents on low incomes. These grants will support personal development, mental health, and opportunities that would otherwise be unaffordable. The funds will be distributed in partnership with local charity partners, with decisions made by a pool of local residents who are paid London Living Wage as Participatory Grant Makers.
Oxygen will allocate the funding to their Mentoring and Social Action project, offering mentoring to vulnerable young people aged 10-25 in the area. Oxygen expects to directly impact at least 12 young people, with a ripple effect on their families and communities.
The Community Grants Programme Committee Report noted that with these approvals, £3,564 remained in the Neighbourhood Community Grants fund for the rest of the year.