UK Youth has been awarded a “game-changing” £1m prize from the Reed Foundation, which the charity says will allow it to broaden its scope and “transform” lives.

The youth work charity, which is home to a network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and partners, has secured the £1m Sir Alec Reed prize, which was set up in celebration of the Reed Foundation’s founder’s 90th birthday.

The prize aims to support young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are experiencing poor mental health to secure or keep employment.

More than 20 charities were invited to apply for the prize and UK Youth’s bid was selected by the Reed Foundation’s trustees, who were supported by an advisory panel of young people who have experienced poor mental health and joblessness, mental health practitioners, commissioning and policy experts, and the bestselling author and mental health campaigner Rachel Kelly.

Vicky Browning, interim chief executive of UK Youth, said: “We’re honoured and excited to have been awarded this prize from The Reed Foundation.

“In a sector that’s incredibly underfunded, £1m is game-changing,” she added.

Browning said the funding would allow the charity to broaden its scope to empower young people and potentially transform their lives through the support it can now extend to them.

She said: “We know from our existing programmes that experiencing poor mental health remains one of the greatest and most consistent barriers to young people entering and remaining in employment. 

“It is vital young people get the early help they need to thrive, particularly in terms of mental health.”

UK Youth will create a new programme with the funding, which will be developed in partnership with young people, youth workers and employers.

The programme will support young people experiencing poor mental health to secure and sustain employment and will include workshop sessions delivered by youth workers and young people, professional mentoring, internships and work placements. 

UK Youth will also work with employers to ensure the workplace environment and culture is appropriate and supportive of young people with poor mental health.