FutureYou: Supporting Greater Manchester's young people to thrive

FutureYou: Supporting Greater Manchester’s young people to thrive

Born from a post-pandemic era which massively impacted young people’s learning and work prospects, FutureYou provided bespoke support to 18–24 year-olds not in employment, education or training (NEET). Ingeus led the Greater Manchester-based programme, bringing its extensive experience and an expert team of partners to young people’s aid.

A helping hand when it was needed most, here’s what it achieved.

A NEET solution

Running between January 2022 and September 2023, FutureYou re-engaged the devastated youth population of Greater Manchester. The pandemic had severely disrupted learning, while sectors largely staffed by younger workers such as retail and hospitality were disproportionately impacted. FutureYou delivered holistic support via personal mentors to tackle issues barring young people’s access to education, training, and employment.

The five-million-pound European Social Fund scheme was commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) as part of its NEET and Youth Employment Programme, which pilots and tests new approaches to young people’s employability support.

The service was voluntary and free. It prioritised 18-24 year-old care leavers, lone parents, refugees, homeless people, and those with substance misuse or gang-related ties. It also played a huge role in supporting young people struggling with mental and physical health issues.

“We know that the pandemic has had a significant impact on our young people. We want them to know that they haven’t been forgotten.”

Councillor Bev Craig

FutureYou supported 2,174 young people to progress into work, training, or education.

“Ingeus’s track record of delivering the Working Well Work and Health Programme in Greater Manchester and our understanding of engaging young people through the National Citizen Service meant we were able to respond quickly to design and implement FutureYou. Fast and meaningful support was needed for vulnerable young people in a challenging labour market.”

Emma Watson – Head of Service, Ingeus

Building better futures

FutureYou was delivered from 11 centres across Greater Manchester, with support offered online, face-to-face and by phone. Participants also benefitted from Ingeus’ online careers portal, iWorks, giving 24/7 access to thousands of courses, resources, and guides, as well as a wealth of training and skills opportunities from partners.

Support included:

• Confidence building

• Personal and professional skills identification and development

• Mental health awareness and support

• Wellbeing advice

• Guidance around parental pressure

• Independent living advice: cooking, money management, self-care

• Finance workshops

• Job search workshops

• Advice on completing application forms

• CV building

• Overcoming barriers to getting into university and work

• Accessing accredited training

• Interview technique

• Work placements

• Access to local job vacancies and volunteering opportunities

FutureYou ran across the 10 metropolitan boroughs of Greater Manchester: Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan – the councils of which collaborate through Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Joining forces

To ensure relevant and tangible help was given to people with varying needs and diverse backgrounds, Ingeus built a network of experienced partners to give FutureYou’s young people the best possible support.

Back2Work (B2W) Group

Creation of an in-house CSCS course allowed young people to gain a construction industry accreditation, in addition to participants accessing pre-employment and digital skills training. FutureYou was B2W’s first NEET-specific programme. It is now delivering similar training in other areas of the UK.

The Broughton Trust

Appointing mentors with relatable experience, FutureYou engaged with young people from the streets through face-to-face street walk campaigns. Meeting with young people in their ‘safe spaces’ supported buy-in and trust. Broughton Trust runs a drop-in service to give young people help overcoming employment barriers.

The Education and Skills Partnership (ESP)

With the Education and Skills Partnership (ESP) in Stockport, FutureYou was able to engage with relevant local training providers such as Catch 22, as well as promoting close, collaborative working with Jobcentre Plus colleagues.

Trafford Council

Ingeus strengthened its relationships with various council services including the Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) team, Youth Justice team, Virtual School, Early Help and Leaving Care team, all of which found participants supported by FutureYou experienced positive outcomes such as an increased confidence and focus on achieving goals.

Bolton Council

Bolton Council utilised its extensive networks, employability events and local visibility to promote FutureYou to employers and potential participants. It now has an Employer Network Group and NEETS Group, which coordinates with probation and youth services to understand the support young people need to get into employment, education, or training.

Early Break

Early Break connects with young people experiencing substance dependency, breakdowns in family relationships, or mental health issues. Mentors have created visual aids for young people who struggle to communicate verbally and work toward softer outcomes such as improved mental health, reduced substance use, and increased support networks.

Rochdale Council

With Rochdale Council referring young people to FutureYou through the National Careers Service, we saw a significant improvement in participant emotional wellbeing compared to when they were trying to find a job or training themselves; a significant step forward for many young people.

Wigan Youth Zone

Provided access to young people who needed services such as supported housing before focusing on finding work or training. Participants were already familiar with the Youth Zone’s sports, workshops, and social opportunities, allowing FutureYou relationships to be more easily developed and nurtured.

Additionally, Ingeus worked closely with Career Connect, which delivered a second strand of GMCA’s Youth Employment Programme, aimed at younger, 15-19 year-old participants.

Referral percentage by Borough

“Ingeus’s established strong presence, services, and network in the Greater Manchester area partnered with Rochdale Council’s Employment Links helped us deliver the FutureYou service effectively. It resulted in us positively engaging with young people who have now received the bespoke help they needed, at the time they needed it, to move positively forward in their lives.”

Rochdale Council

More than 260 referral partners directed young people to FutureYou for help.

Talking through a bedroom door

Placing young people at the very heart of the FutureYou service was vital to its success. From the creation of the FutureYou brand and the marketing content that promoted it, to decisions on where to meet, and how quickly to try new challenges, young people dictated the face, pace, and outcomes of the programme.

As a voluntary programme, targeted at the city-region’s most disengaged young people, the FutureYou teams had to build trust and rapport – to pitch the right note, at the right time. Talking through a bedroom door to a young person too anxious to leave the house wasn’t unusual. In time, progressing to a walk in the park, or meeting for a coffee, the programme moved at their speed. A combination of face-to-face chats, online calls and digital learning meant the right approach could be found to suit everyone.

Helping every step of the way was a team of 50 talented FutureYou youth workers, many with their own lived experience of the social and emotional problems they were unpicking. With a very special mix of

empathy, determination, and resilience, our teams left no stone unturned in providing truly individualised and meaningful support to each young person.

Many FutureYou participants were referred by their local Jobcentre Plus, with FutureYou teams based in the centres to provide a familiar, consistent experience. Job fairs, college visits and other local events provided great ways to reach young people actively seeking new opportunities. Yet not everyone was…

FutureYou teams staged takeover weeks across Manchester, with street walks, poster campaigns and targeted leaflet drops to find those people hardest to help. It advertised the service and its successes with peer case studies on social media and developed a refer a friend scheme for young people to hear of, and trust in, the service.

This person-centred outreach approach is widely credited as one of the programme’s major successes and shaped our learning of the pressures facing young people in the region.

Brand & Marketing

Ingeus created the FutureYou brand with young people to communicate with impact, whether online or in person.

The FutureYou website featured hundreds of articles, videos and images demonstrating the support available, and our social media connected us with thousands of young people across Greater Manchester, including videos going viral on TikTok!

Jobs fairs and local events were a great opportunity for the FutureYou team to raise awareness of the programme and we also took to the streets with reverse graffiti jet washed onto pavements.

More than 2,000 people submitted their interest in joining the programme on the FutureYou website.

Are you looking to make positive changes to your life?

If you’re 18-24 and not sure where to turn to or what your next steps should be, then we can help.

Greener, fairer, more prosperous

GMCA has a rigorous and wide-ranging social value framework which FutureYou proudly operated within. Examining every aspect of business operations to ensure good, fair and sustainable practices, FutureYou tackled inequalities, boosted the local economy, and delivered wider benefits for the community.

A snapshot of these activities include:

• Encouraging all FutureYou partners to join the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter.

• Utilising local venues for meetings.

• Providing bus passes and public transport funding for participants.

• Offering work placements within the partner network.

• Providing a Christmas meal for more than 200 vulnerable children and their families.

• Utilising a bike to work scheme for staff and participants alike.

• Providing green awareness sessions for young people and FutureYou employees.

• Sourcing voluntary roles for participants with local employers and charities.

• Donations to the Middle Eastern Women & Society Organisation.

Away from work, Ingeus employees continued to deliver – volunteering their time to local good causes. From community dance groups and football teams to youth groups and cadets, staff willingly gave their time and expertise. They attended talks in schools, career festivals, staged Christmas events and helped Bolton Beer Festival raise thousands of pounds for Bolton Lads and Girls Club.

“Thank you so much for your attendance at our Careers Festival. Your support in helping us to enhance the life chances of our students is greatly appreciated.”

St Anne’s Church of England Academy

The FutureYou team volunteered more than 1,330 hours to support a variety of young people’s charities and activities across Greater Manchester.

Case Study: Taking positive steps

IT enthusiast Oliver is a shining example of the powerful legacy left by FutureYou.

Now 25, Oliver, from Oldham, is autistic and was lacking in confidence when he signed up to the programme. He was overwhelmed with mounting debts and was anxious over personal events in his life. He dreamed of working in IT but had no relevant experience.

Oliver’s Ingeus mentor Sally helped him identify job goals and worked with him to improve his CV. She encouraged him to use mindfulness methods and arranged work experience to boost his confidence.

With Sally’s support, Oliver successfully applied for an apprenticeship as an IT helpdesk specialist: “I’m now 13 months into an 18-month contract and it’s going well,” says Oliver. “I’ve been doing a college course and learning on the job. I’m in a much stronger

“I’m now 13 months into an 18-month contract and it’s going well. I’ve been doing a college course and learning on the job.”

Oliver Academy

position than I was last year. I am still using the mindfulness strategies Sally gave me and now I’ve got a steady income, I feel more comfortable about paying my bills.

“FutureYou pushed me in the right direction and definitely had an impact. I want to stick with IT, it’s the thing I connect with the most. It just clicks and I find it easy to grasp. I’m really enjoying it.”

A lasting legacy

FutureYou left a lasting footprint for young people’s services, not just in Greater Manchester, but across the UK. As partners, we learnt valuable lessons from each other and the young people we supported, which continues to shape programmes of support for 18-24 year-olds. Robust networks have also been formed for youth providers to work cohesively, with a continued focus on young people’s futures.

“In a relatively short time, FutureYou supported thousands of young people to step toward their ambitions. By addressing key themes highlighted by young people in Greater Manchester, and with a tenacious and talented team, its impact has been lifechanging for the young people and partners involved with it.”

Emma Watson Head of Service, Ingeus.

“A few months ago, I was sat in a cell, now I’m working on the railways. I still can’t believe it!”

Jon, who was supported by FutureYou after coming out of prison.

“I could not be happier in the job FutureYou helped me get, it’s perfectly suited for my work-life balance. ”

Single parent, Chloe, administration assistant.

“Lewis now feels empowered, he gained employment and feels much more in control of his life.”

Keyworker for Lewis, a homeless teenager supported by FutureYou. “I’d describe Future You as supporting. They’ve helped me get a job, how to actually do an interview, how to present myself in an interview a little bit. Also how to get a DBS check and stuff.”

Ezekiel, aged 18 from Stockport.

“The time I spent with FutureYou was the best experience I’ve had. I have a wonderful job now that I got with their help.”

Shania, nursery assistant.

“Since FutureYou I’d describe myself as a lot more confident than I was before. Especially in myself and in my understanding of what it is that I’m wanting to do. I’d say FutureYou has mostly been eye opening.”

Alex, aged 22 from Thameside.

FutureYou worked with more than 500 recruiting employers, giving them priority access to young, local talent for their vacancies.

Case study: Managing Anxiety

Young jobseeker Warren had been on universal credit for two years and was struggling with anxiety and a lack of selfconfidence. He did not feel comfortable speaking to new people or engaging in groups. It was clear that he needed help to boost his self-esteem when he joined the FutureYou programme, delivered by Ingeus and partners in Greater Manchester. FutureYou was set up to provide practical and emotional support for people aged 18 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Each young person who joins the scheme is assigned a dedicated mentor to help them take the next step towards a job or training.

After signing up to FutureYou, Warren began working with Ingeus mentor Sally, who has a background as a mindfulness coach. She helped Warren with mindfulness techniques to give him the tools he needed to manage his anxiety. Sally also encouraged Warren to join a 12-week Prince’s Trust programme, which proved to be pivotal in boosting his confidence.

“This programme has shown me that there are opportunities out there. It has let me realise the only block in my life was me. I have learned to accept myself and find new strategies.”

Warren, who’s on track for a career in music and the performing arts

Warren made a strong impression on the other course participants, who saw him as a leader. Despite feeling stressed at times, Warren overcame his fears, taking on the role of project manager for a community project and showcasing his leadership skills. He has made lasting friendships and now has a positive, can-do attitude. Warren is keen to pursue a career in music and is looking at performing arts courses.

Warren says: “I would say that if anyone my age is struggling, this programme has shown me that there are opportunities out there. That if I want to learn something I can find the steps to get there. It has made me realise the only block in my life was me. I have learned to accept myself and find new strategies.”

His mentor Sally adds: “I am incredibly proud of Warren and his success. He has grown in confidence and has a really positive attitude. I’m excited for the next chapter in Warren’s life.”

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