Every application is looked at carefully by the Think Big team. Once they’ve read the application, they’ll give you a call to discuss it with you in more detail. Then they’ll talk to your project supporter, and may come back to you with more questions. After that, it’s decision time: they will send you an email to let you know if your project has been successful or not. Our emails sometimes get sent to your email Junk Box, so keep an eye on that too.

If your project is accepted, you’ll need to create your own Think Big Web page. You’ll be able to upload photos and videos, create a blog, post messages, and so much more. You'll also be able to get help from our team of O2 Helpers through our online forum (the message board as we call it) -- real-life O2 employees ready to answer questions and offer help. Plus, the Think Big website is a great way to chat with other young people doing Think Big projects.

Yes. You need to show that your project is up and running within three months of being approved. If it’s a first-level project, it needs to be finished within six months. If it’s a second-level project, it needs to be finished within one year. Of course, if you have exceptional circumstances and cannot complete your project within those timeframes, just give us a call to talk about it.

To apply for Think Big, you must be between 13 and 25 years old. Any friends or supporters working with you on your project can be any age.

Yes, we’ll happily accept individuals into Think Big. We like to know that individuals have the support they need to make their project a success. So, it’s good to make sure you have a good application supporter and that you think about what friends could help you by becoming project members. If you are involved in a youth organisation you can also get them on board. Check out this.

We try to keep the criteria simple because we want to support all types of projects. But we still have basic criteria that all projects must meet.

The project must:
1. Be based in the UK
2. Be created and run by someone between 13-25 years old 3. Not be part of paid employment
4. Not aim to convert people to a political or religious organisation
5. Not be an application for funds alone
6. Not be to fund someone’s training or purchase equipment if there isn’t some tangible benefit to others
7. Have a positive impact outside of the project group
8. Be safe for all participants
9. Have a positive impact on the founder’s and members’ personal development

Additionally at Level 1, the project must:
10. Be realistic for £300, or be a small clearly defined project within a bigger idea
11. Be underway within three months and completed within six
12. Have a beginning, middle, and end

At Level 2, the project must also:
13. Be realistic for £2500, or be a clearly defined project within a bigger and longer-term idea
14. Be underway within three months and completed within one year
15. Have a much greater impact upon, and interaction with, the community beyond the Level 1 project completed
16. Be more multi-dimensional, introducing new or different elements to the Level 1 project

We love big ideas; the bigger, the better. But what we support are realistic and achievable projects that can be done with £300 and £2500. That’s why our slogan is “Start small, Think Big.”

So, the first thing to understand is that we provide funding for projects not ideas. The difference between an idea and a project can be difficult to understand, but essentially a project is something that will help to turn an idea into reality.

For example, an idea would be: I want to help older people learn how to use social media. A project would be: Holding six weekly hour-long sessions with older people at the local retirement home teaching them how to navigate YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

The second thing to remember is that your project must either positively impact or tackle a problem within your community or wider society. Projects that only help one person or the project group won’t be accepted.

Take a look at this if you need some inspiration.

Yes. At our first level, we give a £300 grant to help you get your project running. This will be sent to you after you have created your Think Big cloud and had approved the five project steps you’ll go through to complete your project If your £300 project is completed successfully we may invite you to apply for the second level of our programme --Think Bigger where we could give you up to £2500. We determine if you’ve completed your first level project successfully by doing a short interview with you once you’ve marked your final step on your Think Big cloud. In this interview, we will be looking to see how well successfully you completed your project steps, how much you used your Think Big cloud, and how easily and happily you worked with the Think Big team.

Think Big expects projects to only use the funds to purchase things directly related to the project. Examples of appropriate purchases are:
• Materials & Equipment
• Cost of renting space
• Transportation
• Advertising
• Professional fees (for people who aren’t doing your project with you). For example, you could hire a professional coach to teach football lessons. But that person can’t be one of the people directly working on your project with you.

The funds cannot be used to:
• Pay yourself or other people helping you a wage
• Pay for yourself or others on your project team to be trained (if there is no tangible benefit to the project at the end of it). For example, Think Big will not allow its funds to be used to pay for you to do a Web development course if the project does not involve creating a website or webpage that has strong community benefit
• Financial support a religious or political organisation with obvious intentions of conversion

When you apply you’ll need to tell us as much as you can about how you’ll use the money and why it’s needed.

You are responsible for managing your project money. Money management is important, so you should make sure you have a clear plan of what you are going to spend and how. We strongly encourage you to keep receipts for everything you buy. If we wish to, we can ask to see your receipts at the end of your project. Because we give you a lot more money at Level 2 (up to £2500) you will be expected to produce a full budget at the beginning of your project, and demonstrate along the way how you’re using the money. It is likely we’ll ask to see your receipts. By getting into the habit of monitoring how you spend your money at Level 1, you’ll get great practice for Level 2 should you be invited to apply.

No. You don’t have to be a registered charity or part of a formal organisation. However, there are important Think Big criteria that every project application must meet.

You’ll get an email within six weeks of applying to let you know if your project has been accepted or declined. Our emails sometimes get sent to your Junk Box, so keep an eye on that too. If you don’t hear from us within six weeks of applying, give us a call at 0800 902 0250 or send an email to hello@o2thinkbig.co.uk

Your supporter should be someone over the age of 18 who knows you and your project well and someone who will help you if you need it. Ideally, your supporter is part of your community, like a teacher, youth worker, or coach. It is best if the person is not your direct family, unless he or she is directly involved in your project.

After we’ve interviewed you, we will be calling your supporter to talk to them about your project idea and to learn about bit more about you. So, make sure you choose someone who will be willing talk to us and who we can easily contact.

Your youth partner will know you’ve joined Think Big, and they’ll be able to help if you need someone to discuss your project ideas with or answer any questions you might have.

You may be asked to carry out some online training via O2 Learn before your funding is issued or you will be offered 121 telephone or face to face support according to your requirements. If you are asked to carry out training you do need to do this before you can get your money.

If you get through to level 2 of Think Big, you will attend a 3 day residential training event. This is to help you get your project going and make it a success. It’s free, fun and full of useful nuggets, tips and advice.

If you get stuck during your application, you can email hello@o2thinkbig.co.uk or call our helpline on 0800 902 0250.

If you get stuck once you have started your project, you can always contact us on trainingteam@o2thinkbig.co.uk.

Yes, you can make as many applications as you want – provided they are for different projects. However, once one of your projects has been successful - that is it - you are in.

No. You need to complete your £300 project, and everything needs to have gone really well. Then you might get invited to apply for the second level. When you’ve marked your last project step as complete, we will give you a call to conduct a short interview. The interview will focus on reviewing how your project went and how well you’ve met the project steps you set out. We’ll also be reviewing how well you interacted with the Think Big website and team. Then we’ll make a judgement of whether or not to invite you to our second level – Think Bigger.

If your first application is unsuccessful you can reapply with the same idea after two months. You’ll need to contact us when you’re ready to reapply, so that we can re-open your application. If your application is declined a second time, you’ll have to wait one year to re-apply with the same idea.

We’ll happily give you some feedback on your application and help to make it better; just give us a call at 0800 902 0250 or send us an email to hello@o2thinkbig.co.uk

If you decide you want to reapply with a totally new project idea, then you can apply straight away. You can do this one of two ways:
• You can ask us to re-open your declined application for you and start from scratch by erasing what you had written before.
• You can write a new application by creating a new login and password on the Think Big site. You’ll have to use a different email address to the one you used with your first application though.

Your project application is approved, in part, based on the project steps you set out. So if you want to change them, you’ll have to call us to discuss the changes and why you want to make them. Give us a call at 0800 902 0250.

From your Think Big cloud (anchor to the definition of a cloud), you just click on 'My Account' in the top left-hand corner sidebar to change your profile details to those of the person taking over.

You can contact the Think Big online helpers anytime you need them. They all have different areas of expertise, so someone should always be able to answer your question.

You have a team of helpers who read the Message Board and take part in the Forum, so you can always ask them for help. And if you move up to Thinking Bigger with your project, you’ll also have your own helper to call on.

You can also contact the Think Big helpline at hello@o2thinkbig.co.uk or call 0800 902 0250.

To make sure that Think Big runs as smoothly as possible, there is a team of different organisations working together. We are all experts in what we do. To find out more about us, please click here.

If you are under 16 years old on the date of the training course you have booked you will need to get permission from your parent or guardian to attend.  Simply download and fill out this Consent Form and return to us.

Delivering youth-led activities means that young people have a real say in the activities that you provide. It means that you value the opinions and feelings of young people, and strive to involve young people in the everyday life of your organisation.

A youth-led programme of activities meet young people's needs because they have a say in what's provided.

Leadership opportunities can take many forms. Great organisations give young people the opportunity to take on leadership roles so they can shape their own experiences. They understand that giving responsibility away to young people is a vital part of their personal development journey.

Great organisations involve young people in everything they do. They ask, listen and act on young people's opinions. They involve them in strategic decision making and young people can see the difference that their involvement makes. Great organisations champion young people's involvement.

Great organisations offer a place where young people are physically, mentally and emotionally safe. They make the safety of young people their primary goal. They have systems and processes in place to support young people and keep them safe.

Great staff are the heartbeat of a great organisation. It is important for youth organisations to have a qualified, skilled and committed workforce who can provide services for young people.

Great staff do more than just deliver activities; they create a welcoming, friendly environment where young people can grow and develop. Great youth organisations give their young people a say in who works with them, and involve young people in the recruitment process.

Inclusive means that anyone can take part in activities. Great organisations are inclusive in the way they go about things; they communicate clearly to everyone and actively strive to break down barriers to participation. They engage the hardest to reach groups and work in the most disadvantaged communities. All young people are equally able to take part in activities.

Please note, you do not have to work solely in deprived communities in order to gain the Think Big Quality Mark. Instead, you need to be able to show that your organisation offers services to all young people.

Great youth organisations don't just provide a place to go. They create an environment where young people can develop their skills and confidence. They provide a place where achievement is paramount, where young people can learn new skills, make new friends and prepare for adulthood.

These organisations are committed to the personal development of all young people. They provide a wide range of learning and development opportunities, and young people are able to gain new skills, awards and qualifications. External and in-house certificates and awards are given to young people to recognise and reward their achievement.

Great youth organisations ensure that all young people are supported to achieve and grow. They do this through robust and fair systems and structures, and by recruiting committed, supportive staff. They make sure that staff are available and able to help, and that young people know who to talk to if they have a problem. They make sure that any lack of resources, equipment or money are not a barrier to participation.

In order to gain the Think Big Quality Mark, organisations must have a nominated member of staff that can support young people through the Think Big programme. This will involve amongst other things: helping young people to identify suitable projects, ensuring they are able to attend a Think Big training event, and supporting them to complete their project successfully.

Great organisations celebrate the achievements of young people. They tell others about it and share it with the world. They believe in young people and work hard to counter negative stereotypes of young people by promoting positive messages in everything they do.