Spark Awards

Big Change is unashamedly hopefully for a future in which all young people thrive. They believe in the power and potential of people - individually and collectively - to create deep and lasting change.  

Founded in 2012, they find and support the people challenging the status quo and leading change, backing their early-stage ideas with high impact potential. Big Change provides opportunities for the leaders they support to connect, learn and act together as part of a purpose-driven community, rethinking and reshaping the systems around young people.  

We're proud to fund Big Change's Spark Awards which provides funding and support to 18 to 25-year-olds, living in England, who have pilot-ready projects that reimagine how we create positive social change for all young people. 

Uncannily close to our own motto - ‘Sparking Joy’ - the Spark Awards is more than funding, it's a chance for young leaders with a vision to grow, connect, and drive meaningful change. Award recipients receive up to £40,000 in grant funding, along with a 12-month tailored learning and development programme run in partnership with The Young Foundation. This includes one-to-one coaching, peer learning, residentials, and masterclasses, designed to support young changemakers as they explore, lead, and bring new ideas to life.

At the heart of the Awards is our founding principle, as our Chair, Lorenzo Innocenti describes: “Sparking joy isn’t just a motto, it’s a mission. It’s about igniting energy, agency, and resilience in young people, especially those who’ve had it tough. It’s the engine spark that sets positive change in motion.”

Our collaboration with Big Change is a reminder that when we trust young people and invest in their ideas, we don’t just spark joy, we spark systems change. 

Read more here.