Sports Key is a Black-led social enterprise delivering accessible sports and physical activity programmes to underserved communities in Birmingham. It also offers a 12 month youth enterprise programme for young people at risk of falling into the criminal justice system with the aim of increasing participants employment prospects through mentoring, skills development and qualifications, volunteering and employment opportunities. Many graduates of this programme have become employed members of staff at Sports Key, delivering the community sports sessions and supporting the administration and marketing of the organisation.
Working with Youth Futures
As part of our Evidence into Action programme, the charity aims to strengthen its employment pathways for young people in sectors beyond sport, establishing partnerships with employers in recruitment, corporate events, technology and engineering to develop an evidence-based off-the-job training programme alongside industry experts.
Rise Up supports marginalised young people aged 16-30 from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds across Greater Manchester. It offers 1-1 mentoring, skills development and interview preparation as well as training for qualifications.
It recruits employer hosts to provide 3-6-month paid on-the-job placements and mentoring across industries including Tech, Retail, Construction and the Housing sector. Employers have also helped co-design courses for young people to gain sector -specific skills in the digital industry.
Working with Youth Futures
As part of our Evidence into Action programme, the charity aims to strengthen its on- and off-the-job training offer and ensure a seamless link between the two. It intends to create up to four “pathways into” industry programs, each underpinned by work skills qualifications, industry experts and leading to paid on-the-job placements with employers.
Punch Records began as a Black music record store in Birmingham, hosting DJ competitions and organising community events before moving into outreach and employability programmes for young people.
Now Punch works directly with young people (aged 16-29) with the aim of “transforming lives through music” and preparing young people for careers in the creative industries through skills development programmes including Gallery37 and Community Routes.
These are hands-on, artist-led programmes where young people can translate their creativity into employability; pitching ideas, planning approaches and writing applications.
Working with Youth Futures
As part of our Evidence into Action programme, Punch plans to strengthen its programmes and integrate youth co-creation and leadership deeper into existing provision.
Miss Macaroon supports 18 to 35 year olds from underserved backgrounds across Birmingham who face barriers to entering the workforce and have been unemployed for more than six months.
With a focus in the catering and retail industry, Miss Macaroon and corporate partners provide on-the-job training in their commercial bakery, shop, coffee shop and warehouse where young people could be offered a six-month fixed-term contract and develop practical skills in a real work environment. It also provide six weeks of Off-the-job training for young people to build technical expertise outside the workplace through structured workshops, enabling young people to complete sector-specific qualifications.
Working with Youth Futures
As part of our Evidence into Action programme, Miss Macaroon aims to refine its training offer based on evidence, and scale up impact by establishing corporate partnerships beyond the catering and retail industry to achieve the ambition to replicate its approach and support young people into construction, funeral and travel business opportunities.
IMO Charity exists to enable young people of South Asian heritage to improve their quality of life and be more resilient. Based in Blackburn with Darwen, IMO primarily reach communities experiencing serious challenges due to deep-rooted socioeconomic deprivation. Their employability programmes focus on cyber and tech careers, offering careers guidance, numeracy support, accredited courses; a Volunteer Academy for those aged 18-24 and employability skills support for those close to release from prison.
Working with Youth Futures
As part of our Evidence into Action programme, IMO plan to support young people into careers through their growing network of business patrons, integrating employer mentoring with master classes in industry-specific skills-development and career coaching. They aim to pilot an evidence-based, culturally competent “off job” training programme that builds vocational skills, primarily for the growing tech sector locally
IMO previously partnered with us on Connected Futures.
Fully Focused Productions is an independent production company established in 2010 to give young creatives from underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to learn new skills, grow confidence, gain industry awareness and make content that feels truly representative. Founders of the Million Youth Media Training Academy and the Million Youth Media Youtube/social platforms (750k subscribers), it is supporting the next generation of filmmakers to produce award-winning, high-impact film, TV and online content that truly reflects the communities it serves.
Every commission enables young people to gain valuable experience, paid employment and transferable skills whilst simultaneously injecting every brief with an authentic youth voice. Its on and off- the-job training programme provides young people to explore key roles across every stage of production on their own projects and live commissions.
Working with Youth Futures
As part of our Evidence into Action programme, Future Focus intends to pilot two evidence-based vcational training programmes:
A three week training course in digital media content creation and management
Supporting young creatives to transition into high end TVFilm
Young Brent Foundation supports over 200 black and community-led organisations working with young people in Brent to develop capacity, collaboration and connection and effect positive change.
Young Brent Foundation is the lead partner for the Brent Connected Futures Partnership ‘Flourishing Futures’.
Right to Succeed is a charity seeking to promote collective solutions for young people by bringing together residents, professionals and decision-makers to co-design a programme that is bespoke to the needs of the local community.
Right to Succeed is the lead partner for the Blackpool Connected Futures Partnership.
North London Partnership Consortium Limited (NLPC Ltd), is a black-led, not-for-profit organisation committed to the regeneration and renewal of communities by unlocking the potential of local people through accredited training, employability support and enterprise development programmes.
NLPC is the lead partner for the Haringey Connected Futures Partnership.
The London Borough of Lewisham Council is made up of one Mayor, who is elected by the whole borough, and 54 ward councillors. Supported by a cabinet, the Mayor leads the community, develops policies and makes key decisions about local services.
Lewisham Council is the lead partner for the Lewisham Connected Futures partnership
The Amber Foundation
What Works: testing youth employment interventions ·
Amber supports young adults aged 18-30 who are facing complex problems and experiencing homelessness towards employment, education and training through 24/7 supported accommodation across four residential centres in Devon, Kent, Surrey, and Wiltshire.
It provides a full-time employability, health and well-being programme, comprised of group-based activities and individual case management. It takes a staged approach to addressing residents’ immediate needs and building their capabilities, and offers opportunities to connect to local communities.
WomenZone is a community centre based in Bradford dedicated to supporting and empowering women to achieve their full potential through new projects and services.
