Newcastle Building Society has donated a £5,000 grant from the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund at the Community Foundation North East to help young people in Northumberland build their confidence and skills for work.
Mortal Fools is a creative learning charity based in Ashington. It runs a free weekly workshop for 150 children and young people to help them become more confident and creative.
Beyond Ashington, the charity also runs live and digital sessions that reach more than 10,000 young people and 130 schools across the region.
The £5,000 grant will help Mortal Fools cover the costs of its Future Ready programme. The programme uses creative activities to support young people’s personal and professional development.
Working with a professional animator and creative mentors, participants will create an animated film. They’ll share what they’d like employers to know about helping young people into jobs.
Previous participants have gone onto success after taking part in Future Ready.
Tilly, a Future Ready participant
“Being part of Mortal Fools’ Future Ready programme has honestly changed so much for me. It’s really boosted my confidence and helped me find my voice. I feel so much more comfortable speaking up and sharing my ideas now, and since the programme and gaining my Bronze Arts Award I’ve gone onto performing for audiences across the North East as well as further developing my leadership skills.”
Tilly is now studying Health and Social Care at Sunderland College and looking ahead to university. In the future, she’d love to become a Language Specialist so she can also help children reach their full potential.
Helen Ferguson, Creative Producer at Mortal Fools
“We are delighted to receive support from Newcastle Building Society to build our successful Future Ready programme in Ashington. The funding will help us provide a creative approach to improve young people’s strengths, aspirations and employability skills, leading to life-changing impacts for those who need it most.”
Download the press release (PDF, 173kB).
Image caption: Charlotte Williams, our Alnwick Branch Manager, alongside service users and members of Mortal Fools at a Future Ready session.
