Face Forward, a project that supports young people in Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and Dorset, is celebrating having given 500 young people the opportunity to make positive changes.
Through a range of group development programmes, one to one mentoring, activities and events, young people are able to learn a new skill, gain confidence, overcome anxiety, gain a qualification, meet new people and lots more.
The Dorset based project offers one to one support from professional Advisers and Peer Mentors who journey alongside a young person to explore any barriers to progression that they might be facing. The Advisers guide participants through short achievable goals that will empower them to make positive changes.
Feedback from a young person said: “Face Forward has helped me accomplish things I never thought I’d do, like the SPARC course with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service.
“Before Face Forward, I could not hold a proper conversation but now they have made me believe that I can do it. I would recommend Face Forward to other people, especially those who think they can’t achieve their goals, because you can. If I can, you can.”
Alex Evans, Contract and Partnerships Manager said: “The Project is having a real impact on young people across Dorset and we are delighted to have achieved this milestone. There is more work to be done as the Project enters its final third and we are committed to providing similar support to those that want it.”
Face Forward works with young people aged 15-24 who are not in employment, education or training. The project is bespoke to the needs of each young person, accepting of young people from all backgrounds and lifestyles, accessible to young people in rural Dorset and empathetic to a young person’s situation.
Due to a £2.7 million investment by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, Face Forward was launched in June 2017. The project will help 780 young adults with complex needs who are out of employment, education or training by March 2020.
Face Forward accepts referrals and self-referrals. Young adults must be aged 15-24, have the right to live and work in the UK, and not be in employment, education or training.
To find out more, visit: www.ansbury.co.uk/Face_Forward
To contact Face Forward, call 01202 677557 or email faceforward@ansbury.co.uk