A relevant introduction.
Connect us with an organisation or person willing to explore a Changemaker’s ideas and offer a useful relationship, opportunity or perspective.
Offer an introductionCugoano / Changemaker Champions
An introduction.
A door opened.
Young Changemakers have ideas, experience and commitment. What they do not always have is access to the rooms, relationships and resources that can help turn that work into lasting change.
Our Champions help open those doors. A useful introduction, a willingness to share expertise or a contribution to paid learning can have a real effect.
Start a conversationVOICEDOORSRESOURCEPRACTICEPLATFORM
What would help now
A practical place to start.
Experience to share.
Offer specialist knowledge that can help an emerging project, from financial planning and governance to creative practice or community partnerships.
Share your expertiseFunding that makes room.
Help fund paid Circle days, coaching and supported project work, so participation does not depend on what someone can afford to give for free.
Talk about fundingSam will discuss the offer with you and explore the fit with the programme and, where relevant, the Changemakers involved. Any commitment is agreed together.
How to help
Start with
one thing.
There is no single model for being a Champion. We welcome practical offers rooted in what you can genuinely contribute and what the Changemakers want to explore.
Voice
Share the work thoughtfully. Help different audiences hear directly from young people, rather than speaking for them.
Doors
Open a conversation or make a relevant introduction to someone who can help a Changemaker move forward.
Resource
Support paid participation and funded projects so that opportunity is not limited by someone's financial circumstances.
Practice
Offer practical knowledge, questions, challenge or specialist insight when it is useful to the work.
Platform
Make room for Changemakers to contribute to events, decisions and conversations in their own voices.
Our Champions
People opening doors.
We are grateful to those who have agreed to support this work. Champions contribute in different ways; recognition does not imply an identical commitment or role for everyone.
Confirmed Changemaker Champion
Sir Stephen Fry
Writer, broadcaster and advocate for mental health and environmental causes.
We are delighted to have Sir Stephen's support as a Cugoano Changemaker Champion.
Supporting the first pilot
The support that
helped us begin.
Our first pilot was funded by The Rothschild Foundation and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. We are grateful for the support that helped Cugoano take its first steps.
First-pilot funder
The Rothschild
Foundation
Visit the Foundation First-pilot funder
The National Lottery
Heritage Fund
Visit the Heritage Fund This acknowledgement recognises funding for the first pilot. Individual Champions and organisations support Cugoano in different ways.
What makes support meaningful
Listen first.
Then help.
Cugoano is a paid, 18-month Fellowship for fifteen young people, with a focus on people from underrepresented backgrounds. It is open to those of all faiths and none.
We believe support should strengthen young people's agency, not place them under an obligation to perform gratitude. Our Champions help create opportunities while the Changemakers retain ownership of their ideas and choices.
Explore becoming a ChampionCugoano Changemakers is rooted at St James's Piccadilly. Programme governance and safeguarding remain with St James's; Champion contributions do not change those responsibilities. Read about our purpose and accountability.