2024 Summer Newsletter
A note from our CEO:
As this academic year comes to an end, we are delighted to update our supporters on some highlights from the summer term.
During the summer term we delivered our annual business mentoring programme to all schools on our FutureMe programme, giving young people the opportunity to receive career advice, CV tips and mock interview practice from employees. We have also been mobilising some exciting new projects and programmes for our young people. Please read on to learn more about them.
We are also delighted to have welcomed a new school into our cohort of Nottingham schools. Thank you to Bluecoat Trent Academy for partnering with us, we look forward to working with you and supporting your students over the coming years.
We would also like to give a huge shoutout to our amazing Nottingham team who took part in a Tough Mudder and raised a whopping £1350 which will go towards supporting young people on our programmes as they transition into employment. Their fundraising page is still open, you can support them here.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our schools, funders, business partners and volunteers for your support during this academic year.
This newsletter includes:
Programme Delivery:
Launching new programmes:
This term has been extremely busy and exciting as we have mobilised and launched new programmes. Delivery of our Making Strides programme has kicked off in London, Birmingham and Sandwell, working with young adults with learning disabilities and autism to support them to transition into sustained employment. We have also been prepping for delivery of the second phase of our Future Leaders programme to commence in September 2024, onboarding new schools in West London.
We also began delivery of our new young women’s project in partnership with City Bridge Foundation. Young women have been taking part in introductory workshops where they have enjoyed discussing inspirational women. Young women will be taking part in a creative workshop over the summer holidays where they will be learning more about issues young women can face and designing an art piece campaigning for change.
Youth-led project in partnership with The Blagrave Trust:
Over this academic year, young people have been trained and supported to collect data through surveys, focus groups and interviews. This month they presented their findings to The Blagrave Trust, ThinkForward and employers in Kent, to provide insight into the barriers to employment young people in Kent can face.
We are extremely grateful to The Blagrave Trust for funding this opportunity for our young people.
Read our young people’s research findings here.
Our Youth Advisory Board:
It has been a busy term for young people on our Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Young people have attended monthly meetings and have fed into discussions involving ethical funding decisions and ThinkForward’s values. It has been great to see them developing their leadership and communication skills. YAB members have also been designing a research survey into how young people would like to report safeguarding and bullying concerns. We look forward to sharing their findings.
Fundraising:
On Saturday 14th September, a team of ThinkForward employees will take part in the 10th Impetus Triathlon to raise money to improve young people’s lives. Darach, Phoebe and Sha will be running, swimming and cycling in a tremendous effort to raise £1200 for ThinkForward so we can continue coaching young people to achieve their goals. If you would like to donate, please click here.