ThinkForward and Tomorrow’s People

As ThinkForward approaches our fifth anniversary we have made some changes to our delivery. ThinkForward’s progression coaching programme was designed and created by the Private Equity Foundation in 2010 and to start effective delivery of the programme on the ground in 2011 they chose Tomorrow’s People as their delivery partner. Tomorrow’s People’s experience as a national employment charity delivering NEETs focused employment programmes helped ThinkForward pilot our programme in an initial three schools and to expand to a further seven as part of a social impact bond with the Department for Work and Pensions.

Since then over 1400 young people have benefitted from the support of Progression Coaches in fourteen schools in Islington, Tower Hamlets and Hackney.

During ThinkForward’s first five years the programme became an independent charity, we have also strengthened our programme design, performance and evaluation and created central functions including fundraising, communications, HR and finance. At the end of our contract with Tomorrow’s People, we took the decision to in-source delivery staff to strengthen the links between programme development and delivery and to aid national expansion.

Employees who previously worked on ThinkForward for Tomorrow’s People will be transferred to the ThinkForward charity on July 1st 2016. Delivery on the ground will remain unchanged and participants will continue to receive the same high quality coaching and support that they have always received.

ThinkForward will always be hugely grateful for the important role Tomorrow’s People has played and looks forward to continuing to work together, through representation on ThinkForward’s Advisory Board and in collaborating on future initiatives and projects.

ThinkForward Launches in Nottingham North

After five years developing the programme in north-east London, we are pleased to announce that we are launching ThinkForward in Nottingham.  With support from the Careers and Enterprise Company and in partnership with local charity Rebalancing the Outer Estates Foundation, we will be supporting 200 of the most disengaged young people across four schools to make a successful transition from school to work.

ThinkForward’s Coaches will provide long-term personalised support, helping young people to overcome challenges in and out of school and to build employability skills and confidence.  We will be engaging local employers, such as Nottingham City Homes and Boots, to provide work readiness activities such as skills workshops, business mentoring and work experience placements, as well as access to apprenticeships and other jobs.

We rely on the generosity of our supporters to make the programme a success.  If you have any business links in Nottingham please do get in touch.

Celebrating a year of success

 

Thanks to all who attended our annual Thank You event, making it such a special night. We were so pleased  to see so many of our supporters, young people and Coaches all in one room to celebrate their hard work in making ThinkForward such a success this year.

From setting up as an independent charity this January to launching our work in Nottingham, none of this would have been possible without the dedicated support of the ThinkForward community. Their continuous support ensures we can reach the most disengaged  young people to help them successfully transition from school to work.

If you are interested in finding out more about our work do get in touch or come to our next ThinkForward in Action event on Wednesday 27th April. They are events that take place in one of the schools in which we deliver ThinkForward and are a unique opportunity to hear directly from our school partners, Coaches and young people still on the programme.

For more details please do get in touch.