Building on the success of the Gifted Entrepreneurs Programme, The Goldman Sachs Foundation have announced a further grant of $500,000 to The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY), based at The University of Warwick, for their new four year project: the Next Generation Venture Fund.

In line with The Goldman Sachs Foundation’s support of innovative youth development (with particular attention to those from underrepresented groups), the Next Generation Venture Fund will be targeted at gifted young people in their last four years of secondary education who are from socially disadvantaged groups or ethnic minorities currently underrepresented in Higher Education.

The project will adopt a high-touch model of intervention and will work with students from seven cities across England to enable them to benefit fully from membership of NAGTY during their secondary schooling and supporting their progression to higher education. The programme will initially run from September 2006 to September 2009.

Working with school gifted and talented coordinators and with Next Generation Venture Fund link teachers, students will have access to online study opportunities, face to face events, careers advice and mentoring to supplement their mainstream schooling.

The funding generously donated by The Goldman Sachs Foundation will support the programme in 3 of the seven cities with other sources funding the programme in the remaining four cities.

Professor Deborah Eyre, Director of NAGTY, said: “We are very grateful to The Goldman Sachs Foundation for their continued support of the Academy. This funding will enable us to reach gifted students who may are at risk of underachieving in the education system.

“We have a longstanding relationship with The Goldman Sachs Foundation and, like them, are committed to ensuring that gifted young people from groups underrepresented in higher education have access to opportunities which will reverse the effects of social disadvantage and enable them to successfully progress to leading universities.”

Further Information:

For interview requests, please contact Alison Rowan, Press and Publications Officer, NAGTY on 024 76 574905 or 07876 218130. Alternatively by email on a.rowan@warwick.ac.uk.

The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth was set up by government, at the University of Warwick, to improve provision for gifted and talented children and young people up to the age of 19 years, and to provide guidance, advice and development for teachers. It is the centre of expertise for gifted education in England.

The National Academy’s funding comes from the DfES and also the private sector through successful partnerships with businesses, charitable trusts and individuals. Our ability to meet the full scope and scale of need is contingent on the support we receive.

The Academy is grateful to the following for their commitment and support:

Caterpillar

The Goldman Sachs Foundation

National Grid Transco

Gatsby Technical Education Projects

The Wragge & Co Charitable Trust

The Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Settlement

The Michael Marsh Charitable Trust