Life Chance Trust Annual Update

Annual Update

Gallery

Half Marathon, Plymouth

One of the recycled plastic picnic tables donated by DCW polymers

Summer Trustee meeting

Our first away day

One of our first mentees!

Receiving our cheque from Persimmon Fundraising at Exeter’s Great West Run

Youth Consultation (Oracle)

Our Vision

A world where young people overcome the effects of traumatic childhood experiences to become happy, healthy, safe and independent adults.

Our Mission

To transform the life chances of 16-25 year olds made vulnerable by traumatic childhoods by building their confidence, resilience, motivation, skills and networks to find employment and realise their potential.

Our Immediate Goal: 25 by 25

To transform 25 young lives by 2025 through specialist mentoring and coaching, wellbeing and life skills support, practical help and advocacy.

Our Values

Care – Nurture – Inspire (shared with the Life Chance Group)

Our Core Beliefs

• With the right support, childhood trauma can be addressed, and the challenges it creates overcome.

• Every young person is unique: our approach responds to each young person’s needs and aspirations

• Relationships are paramount: we build trust and seek to maintain a sense of safety.

• We ask not ‘what’s wrong with you? But ‘what happened to you?’

• We acknowledge the past, but look to the future

• We focus on each young person’s capabilities, strengths and assets

• We are hopeful, positive, and we never give up.

Chair of Trustees’s perspective

This report marks the completion of our first operating year as the Life Chance Trust since we were formally granted Charitable Incorporated Organisation status.

As a new organisation, I am proud of the way our small staff and Trustee team have risen to the challenge of creating a new compliant model and all the underlying requirements, whilst maintaining a steadfast focus on our core purpose of helping 16–25 year olds’ who have experienced significant trauma ‘be the best’ they can be and lead happy and fulfilled lives making a positive contribution to society.

We are a long way yet from where we want to be in terms of the programmes of support and networks that we can envisage, however we have made definite progress in this our first year and our Every Chance Champions (youth advisors) are being instrumental in helping us see the way forward. Their commitment to positive change and future possibilities is awesome and stirs all our Trustees on to making sure we do not fall short of their expectations.

With the passion and commitment of our founding group of young people and trustees, and the welcome gift of start-up funding and support from the Life Chance Group, I believe we’ve laid solid foundations for an effective and sustainable charity that will transform lives in the years ahead.

We recognise the critical need for growth for funding stability to achieve our ambitionsand our Strategic Plan sets out steps towards this goal over the next few years. As trustees, we know we are in this for the long haul – as indeed, for our young people living with their past and using it positively to build a better future, is a life-long challenge. We won’t give up because we must ensure they never feel that they have to either.

Judith Johnson Chair of the Life Chance Trust

“We know we are in this for the long haul... we won’t give up...”

In December 2021, I knew very little about the neurological effects of childhood trauma and adversity, despite decades working in social justice and with youth-led charities to help people to fulfil their potential.

Out of the blue, an old friend sent me a job description to establish and lead a new charity, based in Devon, my home county. Intrigued, I read the co-founder’s bestselling book ‘One More Life Chance: from Trauma to Transformation’. This, in turn, led me to the vast body of research that evidences the neurological impact of traumatic childhood experiences –including abuse, neglect, and violence - on our developing brains - can have vast effects on our likely outcomes in later life, regardless of socio-economic factors.

It made me wonder: why isn’t psychology and neurology front and centre of every sector, everywhere? What will it take to empower trauma-experienced young people themselves to change things?

I also listened to young people’s experiences of the ‘cliff-edge’ fall in support upon leaving school, which may be their only ‘safe space’, where they’ve felt the benefit of consistent support from a trusted adult. Too often, those in local authority care find themselves uprooted from their home or foster placement at the same time.

Childhood trauma is a key driver of social injustice and inequality - from educational attainment, inclusion and community participation through to mental and physical illhealth, and ultimately, lower life earnings and reduced life expectancy. The amazing young people on our Every Chance Board, and my dedicated and talented colleagues, know first-hand that transformation is possible, with the right kind of sustained, nurturing support from a trusted and emotionally available adult - such as a Life Chance Trust mentor.

The Life Chance Trust’s vision and strategy is rightly ambitious, reflecting the scale and urgency of the need for post-16 support, now more than ever before. Ultimately, we want to help to break the intergenerational cycles of deprivation and exclusion that leave some young people remaining unseen, unheard, and on the margins of our communities.

Chris Keeling-Rowe Head of the Life

Chance Trust

“What would it take to empower young people themselves to help change things?”

Why we’re here....

We’re on a mission to transform the life chances of 16-25 year-olds whose childhoods have been overshadowed by trauma, making them among the most vulnerable and marginalised in our communities, for whom growing up has been especially hard.

Their earliest memories may be of abuse, neglect and/or violence; emotional development and academic attainment may lag behind their peers, because the neurological impact of trauma leads to a heightened ‘fight, flight or freeze’ state where the child’s growing brain cannot learn, because their basic needs for safety have not been consistently met.

Few have had consistently positive relationships or role models. Many are, or have been, in care. Most will have experienced bullying, felt deeply misunderstood and/or been excluded from school. They face wider issues of youth loneliness and mental health, compounded by the pandemic, and are poorly-equipped to overcome them. Navigating the journey to becoming happy, healthy, safe and independent adults is a major challenge.

Without the right help, sustained through the crucial transitional years between childhood and adulthood, the all-too-common outcomes will be poor health, unemployment and poverty, relationship and family problems, exploitation, even criminality.

BUT even traumatised brains remain ‘plastic’ well beyond 16-18, and we continue to develop and change until neurological maturity around age 25. Holistic, individualised support centred on a high quality, sustained mentoring relationship, helps young people to build healthy boundaries and routines, improve relationships, find training and work experience opportunities, and build positive social networks.

Support through this key 16-25 life transition, addressing the practical challenges of life beyond school can improve mental health, build confidence, motivation and aspirations, resilience and independence – and, in turn, save vast amount of taxpayer funds across a lifetime.

“We know that transformation is possible.”

Founding Context

We benefit from being a part of the Life Chance ‘family’ of purpose-driven organisations, and were set up in response to the hopes and fears of students, staff and leaders at School for Inspiring Talents, an awardwinning special school in Devon.

As well as the shared name, vision and common values, the Life Chance Group has committed start-up ‘kickstarter’ funding for the charity until 2025, and two founding Trustees are also company directors of Life Chance.

The Trust therefore meets the definition of a corporate foundation, and our Memorandum of Understanding with the Life Chance Group covers sharing of expertise, values, linked brands and more. In situations where a conflict of interest could arise, we have a robust policy and procedures, backed up by our code of conduct for trustees, staff and volunteers.

Founded in November 2021. Registered as a charitable incorporated organisation 29th June 2022.

Our Charitable Objects

To act as a resource for young people aged 16-25 in Devon and surrounding areas who have been affected by childhood trauma by providing advice, advocacy & assistance, organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities as a means of:

1. advancing in life and helping young people by developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals;

2. promoting and protecting their physical and mental health;

3. advancing education;

4. relieving unemployment and poverty;

5. providing recreational and leisure time activities in the interests of social welfare with a view to improving their conditions of life.

People Power

“I’ve joined Life Chance Trust because I’m passionate about young people having the best life chances when they leave school at 16. In my work as a yr 11 teacher, I’ve seen the difference life skills lessons make in supporting independence and resilience for the challenges our young people may face throughout life.”

Issy Harben, Skills Workshops Facilitator

“My previous experience as a pastoral co-ordinator and my current experience supporting foster children with my Mum has made me even more determined to transform the lives of young people who have experienced trauma.”

Chloe Sutcliffe, Listening, Mentoring & Advocacy Co-ordinator

Our board

Judith Johnson (Chair)

Co-founder of Life Chance and the School for Inspiring Talents, award-winning trauma-specialist therapeutic education. 45 year career in teaching and school leadership and governance. An Ofsted Inspector and independent consultant, experienced at school improvement and change management, across many education trusts and local authorities, and has chaired several Boards.

Simon Almond (Finance lead)

Founder/MD of DCW, an award-winning family-run waste management business, pioneering ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ in the south-west. Consults UK-wide/DEFRA on the future of recycling. Trustee of Dartmoor Zoo (community mental health/international conservation), helped develop charities in Kenya and Uganda.

Mark Escott

Co-founder of Life Chance and the School for Inspiring Talents, award-winning trauma-specialist therapeutic education. Mark’s passion for transforming lives has since resulted in being awarded the British Empire Medal in the King’s New Year’s Honours list and becoming a best-selling author for his book ‘One More Life Chance’.

Vic Bekker

Leads a recruitment team across the regional construction industry with charity fundraising successes from extreme coast path challenges (100km in 24 hours!) to Golf Days. Originally from Zimbabwe, where he trained as a pastry chef. Brings lived family experience of the local foster care system, while raising a young family.

Hal Davidson

A charity sector specialist, as employee, trustee, consultant and volunteer with 25 different charities in seven years, across strategy/fundraising/communications/project management. Helps charities develop strategies for lasting change as Funding & Strategy Manager for YouPress, and delivers personal development talks to young people.

Paul Haigney

Passionate about education, mentoring & entrepreneurship, a keen Rotarian and networker, Paul’s led and consulted extensively in the food industry, winning UK SME of the Year with ‘Pasta King’. As VC Governor South Devon College, he championed special needs students and co-founded a charity to support students in need.

Hannah Moon

A business leader with a passion for creating social change. CEO of Life Chance Group and School for Inspiring Talents. Brings charity leadership expertise from Dame Hannah Rogers Trust, was instrumental in setting up the British Gas Energy Trust in 2004, and tackled fuel poverty as Head of Social Responsibility at British Gas.

Alison Nettleship

Began her career in business, finance and international banking before training as a teacher, then Primary Headteacher and now CEO / Executive Headteacher of Discovery Multi Academy Trust. A trained Ofsted Inspector, working to improve outcomes and opportunities, collaborating across Plymouth to help develop a city-wide nurture provision to support vulnerable and at-risk children.

Julie Scott-Bryant

A corporate leader – most recently as Group Chief Procurement officer of AXA insurance - bringing business and HR experience and a passion for coaching and mentoring which has its roots in her own dyslexia diagnosis at university and subsequent successful corporate career across telecoms, banking and insurance UK/US/ France. Now a company Chair and non-exec with time to help transform young lives.

Sophie Wakefield (Chair, Youth Advisory Board)

An early-career 16-18 specialist teacher in Taunton who is passionate about student voice initiatives and leading the progress of the school’s most vulnerable students. Has mentored students with personal trauma resulting from a range of adverse childhood experiences and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Education.

Our Every Chance Champions

“Through joining Life Chance Trust as a young advisor, I aim to share wisdom from my own struggles and understanding to support services provided to young people. I’m excited to build and grow with this newfound community and help make a difference to young people’s lives.”

Luella

“I really wanted to use my experience to make the journey through education & beyond easier for young people in the future. In joining Life Chance Trust as a young advi- sor I hope to help shape the services offered, to transform the lives of young people who have struggled with trauma.”

Taylor

“I was given many chances throughout my childhood to become a better person and heal from traumatic experi- ences, which is responsible for a desire I have to create similar welcoming and positive spaces for young people who are going through turbulent times.”

Robin

“After 5 years of hard work & self-help I’m extremely proud of my journey and the individual I have become. I want to encourage people in the same position I was in to keep fighting and to never give up. I want to help people to love themselves and believe in themselves and know that nothing is impossible.”

Jessie

““Having a mentor through my teenage years made a huge impact on my life and how I am now. Being a part of Life Chance Trust means I can help other young people the way my mentor helped me.”

Ciara

What people say about us

“Life Chance Trust is ‘creating a clearing’ for young people to step into.”

“I’m really looking forward to seeing where the charity goes, moving forward with such a great team around us.”

“A very welcoming feel, everyone’s moving in a similar direction.”

Quotes from participants on our first away day

“I joined the team because I grew up in a similar way to some of our young people. I lived in care homes, foster care, and was homeless a few times.

It’s because of three inspiring people I met along the way, who saw something in me and took the time to guide me, that I managed to turn my life around and achieve what I have, and I’ll always be grateful!

That is why I’m involved. I want to be one of those people, share my experiences and give something back to those who need it.”

Mikki, Volunteer Mentor

“I’ve seen so many children having to deal with stuff and not having parents who are able to help them... It’s good, very good actually, having people willing to mentor you and even just have a chat about your day.”

LB, School for Inspiring Talents student

“Trust is about having someone to talk to, who you know won’t talk about you; you trust they will keep your conversations private.”

TB, School for Inspiring Talents student

Real

Ana spent most of her childhood in and out of foster care and children’s homes due to neglect, sexual abuse and physical abuse from her family. When she left her very nurturing school at 16, she also had to leave the

police enquiry. We worked on her CV together and she applied for jobs. She now engages regularly with her PA; when she was unhappy where she was living, she communicated this and they helped her relocate. The police charges have been dropped - telling them about her interest in the armed forces helped. She still engages with her mentor from Life Chance Trust, and we’ve helped her apply to join the army.

Ben’s sister died when he was still at school, leaving him and his Dad with significant mental health problems. As a result, Ben stopped attending school. Ben was referred to us when he turned 16. He was not leaving the house, not eating and was extremely anxious.

Life Chance Trust provided him with a mentor to start encouraging him to leave the house. To start with, they spent a lot of time going for walks in public places where it was not too busy, building trust.

Now, Ben lives independently with help from Young Devon. He’s completed a short construction course, aiming to start a full-time course soon. He's also taken the first step to receive bereavement counselling, with support from his Life Chance Trust mentor.

Dhani had an up and down childhood, with his parents having a very turbulent relationship. Dhani witnessed a lot of this, and sometimes the violence was turned on him. School was a struggle for him as he was very hyper-vigilant and would get into trouble with the teachers.

He moved schools to a smaller setting, however, he stopped attending school altogether and became very excluded, sitting in his bedroom all day. When he left school, he tried sixth form, but his confidence had dropped.

Life Chance Trust started working with Dhani on his confidence. He loved rugby and lit up whenever we spoke about it. He can now drive and has gone back to sixth form part time to help manage his energy levels. Dhani regularly plays rugby again and does this in his free time.

*Names have been changed to preserve confidentiality.

Many Thanks to our Supporters

We may only have been registered as a charity for a year, but we have already received encouragement to take our work forward, from a variety of sources.

Like most charities, we benefit from the hours and expertise donated ‘in kind’ by volunteers, and we’ve also appreciated our supporters motivating their friends and family to embrace our vision and give their time to help us at fundraising events!

We do also need to cover the financial costs of running our programmes for young people -and this is why the grants provided by the local and national funding organisations listed below are so important.

The Listening Fund:

Norman Family Charitable Trust

The Worshipful Company of Grocers

Funding & Finances

We’re proud of an already strong track record in securing investment from a range of sources, with local and national trust funders, business and local authority support, community fundraising and individual supporter donations already reflected in our first year:

Of 15 applications for funding submitted during 2022-23, 10 were successful, a further 2 were near-misses, and 1 decision is still pending – an initial success rate of at least 67%.

We are one of only 8 organisations across England selected by the Listening Fund’s Young Advisors to receive a two-year grant, from a field of around 120 applicants.

The Listening Fund is a collaboration between five national charitable Trusts, and their investment has enabled us to recruit a full-time youth-facing post - embedding youth leadership at all levels of our charity from year one!

We’ve secured £65,541 in grant funding towards service development and delivery, with community fundraising activities helping to build our reserve position for the long-term.

Other highlights included:

• business sponsorship from DCW Polymers

• business sponsorship from Persimmon Homes South-West,

• a donation from Meta of 10 ‘Portal Go’ devices benefiting staff and volunteers by helping to connect us more effectively wherever we are based.

• Author royalties from the second edition of Mark Escott’s book ‘One More Life Chance’ will also be donated to the Trust.

Strategic Themes

Strategic Theme Work Underway Plans for 2023-25

• 8 young mentees enrolled, aged 16-19.

Be positively transforming 25 young lives after trauma, through tailored mentoring and coaching and practical support to enable and sustain participation in education and skills development, work-based initiatives and community activities.

• 2 attending college, 1 found first job

• 5 more are receiving support to plan for the future, with aspirations ranging from demolition to youth work, cooking/creative to uniformed services

• Funding secured for service design and development.

• To transform 25 lives by 2025

• Building our ‘mentoring plus’ programme.

• Ongoing mentor recruitment, training, supervision and support.

• Design & delivery of life skills workshops and community engagement / participation activities to help to build motivation, engagement, confidence, resilience.

Keep trauma-experienced young people at the heart of the Trust, empowering them to shape their own futures by listening, responding and raising their voices through an active Young Advisors Board and on issues that matter locally and nationally.

• Every Chance Champions Board established

• 5 active young people plus ongoing recruitment

• 3 young mentees helped make our first Trust video

• 4 YPs contributed to a national trauma and ACEs research study.

• YP to co-facilitate life skills workshops, including our anniversary celebrations in July 2023.

• Planning activities including creative/digital media, fundraising, youth-led governance and microgrants.

• Ideas for Sept 2023 include podcasts, film screenings or a ‘sequel’ book.

Address the barriers our young people face by improving awareness and understanding of the impact of childhood trauma and adversity across the South-West.

• Trust website, social media and plans to share evidence and resources established

• A mini video introducing the Trust completed and further grant funding secured

• Youth-led research to help analyse national cohort data on school exclusion, transitions & outcomes.

• Community-facing activities including Exeter & Plymouth running events in May 2023.

• Trauma networks, policitisation, scale of the opportunity.

• Public access - how people can find us, online footprint & listings, social media.