AN ambitious project which aims to get vulnerable young people out of poverty and raise their chances in life is building pace.

The Brathay Trust has set up Focus on Furness, a £45,000 fundraising appeal to tackle the deep-rooted consequences of social deprivation, after identifying the huge need to support children in care and poor families, especially in the central wards of Barrow.

Focus on Furness is aimed at vulnerable young people aged 14 to 25 and the funding will take at least 20 youngsters on a 12-week development programme, including a residential stay at Brathay Hall in Ambleside.

Fundraising update

So far £6,000 has been donated and once the fundraising target has been reached, the programme will see staff at the charity working closely with each young person. Their role will involve identifying training and education opportunities for them, providing emotional support and improving their self-confidence and self-worth - which sometimes is the most challenging obstacle to overcome.

The project is in the early stages but already has a youth worker based at Signal Film and Media in Barrow, liaising with schools, colleges and community centres to identify children who would benefit from the scheme.

Scott Umpleby is the head of fundraising at Brathay Trust Ambleside, and believes the project is exactly what is needed in the area.

He said: "We have got large areas of deprivation and under privileged communities in Furness.

"The fund will be ring-fenced just for our work in Barrow.

"Our 12-week projects involve weekly sessions in the community to build trust and at the right time in the programme a five-day residential stay at Brathay Hall in Ambleside. We find that's when their development hugely accelerates.
"The young people are in that transition period when they are at school going on to do their GCSEs or unemployed and don't know what to go on to do."

Social deprivation

One in five children in Barrow live in poverty, and in some areas of Central ward that figure rises to a staggering 48 per cent.

The number of children in care is also rising at disproportionate rates compared to the rest of Cumbria.

Being in care has numerous long-term affects, with national trends pointing towards huge under achievement in school. For example, only 15 per cent of young people in care get five GCSE passes at grade A to C.

The project aims to tackle this problem and encourage youngsters to explore options such as apprenticeships, further and higher education. 

The £45,000 needed by the charity to run the project will cover the cost of the youth worker in Barrow and the residential stay which includes motivational and team-building activities like rowing and climbing.

Much of the project is being modeled on a similar programme in Bradford which has had great success in changing the trajectory of children's lives.

It is hoped Focus on Furness will be set up and functioning this year.

Project aims

1) Reducing anti-social behaviour and offending 

2) Developing family learning and positive community engagement

3) Improving individual attainment and employability

4) Increasing well-being

How to donate

Residents and businesses can donate towards making Focus on Furness a reality by texting FURN10 and an amount, e.g. £10, to 70070.



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