More disadvantaged young people in Ipswich will receive better support after Inspire Suffolk announced it received a £500,000 funding boost.

Ipswich Star: Terry Baxter, chief executive of Inspire Suffolk, says there are 'exciting plans' ahead for the charity. Picture: JAMES AGERTerry Baxter, chief executive of Inspire Suffolk, says there are 'exciting plans' ahead for the charity. Picture: JAMES AGER (Image: James Ager)

The education and sports charity, based in Lindbergh Road in Ipswich, received the funding from the Big Lottery Fund and The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to support new and targeted youth activities for young people.

The charity said it would allow them to “scale up our youth work in the Ipswich area very considerably”.

The independently-funded education support charity uses sport to motivate, inspire and improve the life chances of troubled young people in Suffolk.

Terry Baxter, chief executive of Inspire Suffolk, said: “This is a very exciting time for us as a charity to have been recognised with this funding and to scale up our youth work in the Ipswich area.

“Our aim as a charity is to support young people onto a positive future and this funding means that we can provide even more youth activities for local young people who need it.

“We have some very exciting plans coming into place at the moment and we can’t wait to get started.”

Inspire Suffolk works with young people who are NEET (not in employment, education or training) and guides them to fulfilling futures.

They engage with other young people, such as those with physical and learning disabilities, through a range of sports and character-building, qualification-gaining programmes.

More details are set to be released later in the year on how the charity will use the funding.

A spokesman added: “We will be delivering sports and media activities for young people to develop confidence and self-esteem, while partnering with Ipswich Community Media.”

Youth organisations across the country are gaining a share of the £40 million fund to boost the skills and life chances of young people living in disadvantaged areas.

The money is set to benefit 300,000 young people, allowing them to receive the skills and confidence they need to enter the workplace. It will also help to improve their behaviour.

Minister for civil society Tracey Crouch said: “This investment will have a transformational effect on the lives of some of our most disadvantaged young people.”