The University of Central Lancashire, with its rich heritage, is a leading international, multi-campus institution dedicated to modern learning. Home to a diverse community of over 42,000 students and staff from more than 100 countries, our university offers a vibrant and supportive environment where everyone is welcomed and encouraged to thrive. Our commitment to innovation and excellence in education has earned us prestigious accolades, including being named the University of the Year 2023. With an extensive range of courses, state-of-the-art facilities, and a global network of partners, we strive to empower our students to succeed and make a positive impact on the world.
Participation Works is a not-for-profit grassroots organisation serving the young people and communities of East Lancashire. Their passion is working with young people to further encourage emotional health and wellbeing, interpersonal skills, educational attainment and career aspiration. They also want to tackle antisocial behaviour and the negative consequences surrounding it. Participation Works want to help even more young people to make even more positive choices and changes in their own lives.
Aaina provides accessible services that cater for women and their children in Walsall, enabling them to aspire and achieve through education and training, support services and community engagement.
Aaina is the lead partner for the Walsall Connected Futures Partnership.
Football Beyond Borders works with young people from areas of socio-economic disadvantage who are passionate about football but disengaged at school, to help them finish school with the skills and grades to make a successful transition into adulthood.
It’s standard programme offers a balanced schedule of weekly two-hour sessions divided between classroom-based learning and football activities, combined with therapeutic interventions, in-school pastoral care, and regular reward excursions during half-term breaks.
Football Beyond Borders’ practitioners are trained to become relatable, consistent and trusted adults in the lives of young people.
Working with Youth Futures
Football Beyond Borders has an excellent record of developing trusted relationships with young people in schools from areas of socio-economic disadvantage and experience in using therapeutic mentoring interventions.
This is why it is a delivery partner for the Building Futures programme, providing personalised support to up to 500 young people aged 12 to 15 over a whole academic year during the initial programme phase.
ERSA is the membership body for all organisations delivering, or with an interest in, employment support services. ERSA’s membership includes large providers, members of supply chains, smaller organisations, private and third sector, youth organisations, local authorities, housing providers, general and specialist providers.
What they are involved with?
Enhancing Youth Employment Support – The Grant will be used to fund ERSA’s work on Youth Unemployment, working with employment support providers building and maintaining communities of good practice and running collaborative events. The grant will be used to contribute to three staff members wages. These three staff will research local labour markets and youth employment data. Facilitate the communities of good practice, deliver youth employment focussed forums, collaboration events and conferences.
DurhamWorks is a programme designed for individuals aged 16 to 24 living in County Durham who are not already engaged in education, employment, or training. The programme is delivered by a team of dedicated professionals who offer career information, advice, and guidance to support young people in achieving their ambitions and potential.
With tailored support that includes assistance in creating CVs, job searches, interview preparation, and ongoing guidance once employed, DurhamWorks also offers financial aid to address initial employment-related costs.
The project, funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, aims to provide inclusive support to remove barriers hindering young people’s progress.
What they are involved with?
We are partnering with Durham County Council to boost youth employment via its programme partner DurhamWorks.
Drive Forward Foundation supports care-experienced young adults through a package of individualised support designed to help develop the skills and networks they need to find fulfilling employment.
It offers a mix of tailored one-to-one support, intensive employability skills training, in-work mentoring, and opportunities provided through working in partnership with corporate partners, prospective employers and local authorities.
Working with Youth Futures
Drive Forward is a delivery partner in our What Works programme.
Cumbria Youth Alliance provides infrastructure support for organisations working with children, young people and families. They provide direct support in a variety of settings, schools, alternative provision, youth and community settings.
What they are involved with?
The funding they have received will enable Cumbria Youth Alliance to support 150 young people to help them work towards achieving their career aspirations through a programme of employability support activities, including individual tailored plans. Further, access to specialist support around mental health, drug and alcohol addiction, increasing soft skills and vocational training will form part of the overall delivery package.
1625 Independent People supports young people aged 16-25 who are at risk of becoming homeless or are already homeless through a range of specialist projects and services.
What they are involved with?
1625 Independent People are part of our What Works programme. The have been awarded a grant to supports 156 young people aged 16-24 who are care leavers or homeless/at risk of homelessness. The young people receive 1-2-1 support from ‘Coaches’. The frequency and type of support varies, but is based on a youth version of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, called DNA-V.
15billionep is a charity committed to ‘transforming young futures’ through promoting social mobility and raising aspirations among young people. They work closely with employers, local authorities, European agencies and education institutes to understand the labour market and prepare young people for today’s workplace, boosting their job prospects and the calibre of candidates available to potential employers.
What they are involved with?
Using their grant funding, 15billionebp provided a range of support to 90 young people at local secondary schools to reduce the number of school exclusions. Each school within the London Borough of Newham identified a cohort of young people using the Risk of NEET Indicator (RONI) system and school knowledge of the individuals. The project was delivered to young people from BAME/socio-economically disadvantaged communities who enrolled on the project for two years.
CXK, a youth employment charity, lead this Connected Futures partnership with Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex County Council.
The partnership is focused understanding the experience of young people aged 14+ who are already NEET or at risk of becoming NEET, especially in wards with higher rates of youth unemployment. A Young Person Research Group is central to the research as agents of change.
