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“I really appreciate all the effort you put into helping me get this interview and I will be able to apply these skills for the future. You have also helped me write a CV and cover letter that no one has ever helped me with so I wanted to say thank you so much”

– HeadStart Participant 

What is HeadStart? 

Our HeadStart programme supports disadvantaged young people to develop the skills, experiences and confidence needed to secure and stay in employment. 

 

Why is the HeadStart Programme needed?  

As a ‘pre crisis’ intervention HeadStart is a programme for young people aged 16 – 24 who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) or who are at a high risk of becoming NEET.  

I find this program to be very helpful for boosting my confidence and motivating me to grow and achieve my goals. The program has been a great source of encouragement and has helped me in many ways. I strongly recommend this program and would love to see it continue so that more people can benefit from it. – HeadStart Participant 

More than 790,000 young people in the UK are NEET, a 23% rise over the last two years. This is 12.5% of all British young people. The long-term impacts of youth unemployment are extremely costly, not only the emotional and physical well-being of young people but for society as a whole. It is estimated that youth unemployment could be costing the economy billions in lost GDP.  

The reason why young people end up on a path to not being ready for employment can be varied and complex. Poverty, disadvantage, the uneven playing field of education and health all play a part. At Family Action we understand the challenges young people face. We have the expertise and knowledge of trauma informed practice and use a strengths-based approach that empowers young people to control their lives.  

79% of participants agreed HelpStart helped improve their communication skills

81% of participants felt HeadStart helped develop their confidence

83% of participants agreed taking part in HeadStart developed their CV

 

Give Time, Gain Skills, Get Ahead

The HeadStart Programme has a simple methodology – “Give Time, Gain Skills, Get Ahead”

Give Time  

With the help of our fantastic Community Partners we inspire and support young people to take part in community-based volunteering and social action activities that they care about. Through this, young people gain invaluable experience interacting with people that are different from themselves, developing their communication, teamwork and leadership skills.  

Gain Skills 

Our HeadStart workshops use a strengths based approach to help young people reflect on the skills and experiences they DO have and how they are relevant and valuable in the workplace. We use a variety of methods including 121 and small group work sessions to enable reflection and young people can benefit from a mix of hard and soft skill workshops.  

Get Ahead 

With the help of our amazing Corporate Business Partners we provide disadvantaged young people ‘Equity of Opportunity’ in accessing workplace training and employment opportunities. Our HeadStart ‘Insight Day’s are where young people get to learn about new industries and jobs that interest them, interact with volunteer employees and practice their soft skills. Our network of business partners offer a variety of paid work placements and access to entry level jobs as well as apprenticeship and other training opportunities.

How can I get involved?

Our community and corporate business partnerships are essential to providing the holistic person centred support and opportunities that young people want and need on their path to developing the skills, experience and confidence needed to secure and stay in employment. If you believe in the power of youth and want to give young people a chance, then we want to hear from you!  

The HeadStart team have been fantastic in helping us to set this programme up internally. They have a huge passion for what they do and have built great relationships around our business. It is an absolute pleasure working with them and we see this partnership growing and being a pipeline for our future talent. – Brands 2 Life

 

There are a variety of ways in which we can work with you; Referral partnerships, community volunteering, corporate volunteering, workplace Insight Days / placements and jobs / training opportunities.  

For all enquiries please contact [email protected]