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Young women in Teesside schools are getting extra support and advice around building healthy relationships thanks to the work of a local charity and new funding from the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund at the Community Foundation.
A Way Out is an outreach and prevention charity which aims to engage, empower and equip vulnerable and excluded women, families and young people across Teesside to live lives free from harm, abuse and exploitation and to reduce life-limiting choices and behaviour.
The Stockton-headquartered organisation, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is using a £3,000 Society grant to underpin its work in schools in the Bowesfield Lane and Port Clarence areas, where pupils face some of the most challenging socio-economic circumstances and deprivation.
The funding is being provided through our Community Fund, which offers grants to charities and community groups located in or around the communities served by our branch network.
Kay Nicolson, CEO at A Way Out, says: “We adapted how we worked during the pandemic to make sure that our clients still had access to help and our teams worked through the lockdowns and other restricted periods.
“We have been able to play catch up since restrictions were lifted, but demand for all our services is still very high as we deal with the aftermath of everything that we’ve been through.
“Our work in schools in these deprived areas makes a significant difference to the lives of the young people that we work with, both in the short term and hopefully long into the future.
“The Society’s branch team encouraged us to apply for this grant after attending a presentation about the work in the local area and we’re really grateful to have them on our side.”