One gift can open a door that talent alone cannot. The Potential Trust helps children and young people from low-income and disadvantaged backgrounds explore the subjects that fascinate them, develop their abilities and imagine a brighter future.
By sponsoring a bursary, you can turn curiosity into a real opportunity to learn.
The Potential Trust is an educational charity supporting children and young people with High Learning Potential or Dual and Multiple Exceptionality, including those facing financial and other barriers. Its bursaries can provide access to experiences that develop intellectual, creative, artistic, practical, personal and social capabilities.
Whatever the level of your donation, 100% of it will go towards the programme you select to fund one or more children on their learning journey. Each year, we will provide a report to all our sponsors detailing where the money was spent and providing anonymised feedback about the difference the donations made to the lives of the children supported.
Want to specify where your funds will go?
As well as specifying which Young Questors programme your funding will support, you can ask for your funding to be provided to support a child or young person in a specific funding area – Engineering, Languages, Crafting activities, music, The Arts and drama, Maths and Finance, Reading, writing, literature, Science and Technology, Sport and recreation activities such as chess.
You can also specify which Region or County you would like your funding to go. This will provide a focus for our work in a particular area.
If you have any questions about our Young Questors Sponsorship Programme, please email us at hello@potentialtrust.org.uk
A child’s lifelong passion can begin with one small opportunity: a first music lesson, a coding workshop, a set of tools, a place on a sports course or a day spent discovering science beyond the classroom. For a family managing on a low income, even that first step may be out of reach. Your sponsorship can put it within reach.
Spark is for Young Questors aged 4–18 who live in England or Wales and whose parents or carers receive income-related benefits. An eligible child can apply for one Spark bursary of up to £60 each year.
A Spark bursary may help a child explore engineering; languages; music, drama and the arts; designing, building and making things; numbers, maths and finance; reading, writing and literature; science and technology; or sport and recreation.
Spark is about the power of beginning. It gives a curious child permission to try, question, create and find out what excites them. A modest gift can remove a practical barrier and replace it with possibility.
Yes I would like to sponsor a child or young person:
Once a young person has found something that matters to them, the next challenge is going deeper. They may be ready for a weeklong programme, a more advanced course or an experience that stretches their thinking. Ignite is designed to help that early interest gather momentum.
Ignite has been developed for Young Questors aged 11–18 in England or Wales whose parents or carers receive income-related benefits and who have already received at least one Spark bursary. Applicants will be able to seek up to £250 a year to explore a passion or interest in greater depth.
Your gift can help a young person progress in engineering; languages; music, drama and the arts; designing, building and making things; numbers, maths and finance; reading, writing and literature; science and technology; or sport and recreation. The precise route will be personal to them; the opportunity to progress is what you provide.
Potential develops when curiosity is met with challenge, encouragement and time. Ignite bridges the gap between trying something once and developing a meaningful skill. It tells a young person: your interests matter, and you deserve the chance to pursue them.
Yes I would like to sponsor a child or young person:
A sustained opportunity at the right time can shape a young person’s future. Empower is the next stage for those ready to deepen their expertise, build independence and use their learning in ways that benefit both themselves and their community.
Empower is designed for Young Questors aged 11–25 in England or Wales who, or whose parents or carers, receive income-related benefits and who have previously received a Spark or Ignite bursary. Applicants will be able to seek up to £500 a year to develop learning with lasting value and contribute to their community.
Our Empower programme is targeted at young people 18+ to help provide personalised support to get them from where they are to where they want to be. This could include:
Empower may support advanced learning in engineering; languages; music, drama and the arts; designing, building and making things; numbers, maths and finance; reading, writing and literature; science and technology; or sport and recreation. Whatever the field, the aim is learning that endures—and a young person equipped to make a difference.
Empower is an investment in long-term potential. It supports young people not only to acquire knowledge, but to become confident, resourceful learners who can apply their abilities with purpose. Your sponsorship can help transform promise into lasting capability.
Yes I would like to sponsor a child or young person: