Suffolk Futures

We have secured a pot of £100,000 which we will use to 50% match fund any donations made to our 20th anniversary campaign. This means that a donation of £1,000, will become £1,500, while adding gift aid would make your donation worth £1,750.  

Our aim is to raise an additional £200,000 so that we can make a number of grants to projects across the county during the first half of 2025.  

Anyone who is kind enough to give more than £20,000 before match funding will be invited to help us choose which organisations will receive grants.  

Help us to support charities and other services which aim to transform the lives of 16 to 25-year-olds. 

In 2025 we will be celebrating our 20^th anniversary. To mark this special milestone we are creating a new fund to support organisations who are working with 16-25 year olds, helping to address mental health, education, housing and employment.  We have specifically chosen this age group as they have grown up at the same time as the Foundation.

This group of young people are the future of Suffolk.  Please help us if you can.

Inspire

Established in 2013, Inspire is dedicated to improving the lives of young people under 25 in Suffolk and the surrounding areas who face challenges or disadvantages. They help them realize their potential by providing opportunities and supporting them in developing the necessary skills, tools, behaviours, and experiences for a positive and successful future.

Operating from bases in Ipswich, Hadleigh, and Lowestoft, they offer a variety of youth work, education, and mental and physical wellbeing services.

‘Francesca’s’ Story:

I had a car accident that triggered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I had issues before then as I tend to bottle up my feelings and the accident brought everything to the surface. Six months later, I was put on medication and things got so bad that I made multiple attempts on my life.

Eventually, my mental health started affecting my work and I lost my job. That’s when I reached out to Inspire. I was terrified of my first Wellbeing appointment because previous therapy hadn’t worked for me but the phone video calls with my counsellor were different. They weren’t too long and felt like talking to a friend. She was lovely and supportive.

I saw my counsellor for 3 or 4 months and it was incredibly helpful to have someone just listen to me. She spoke to me like I was a normal person, and that made a huge difference. She pulled me out of one of the darkest times in my life.

I always wanted to work in the Ambulance Service. The Inspire Wellbeing Service gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams and referred me to their Youth Employment Service. I met my coach weekly and we worked on a plan which included finding training courses, building my CV, job searching and writing applications.  We worked on my confidence, personal presentation, interview skills, travel training (working out and practicing how I’d get to work) and applied for a job with the Ambulance Service as an Emergency Care Assistant. I was delighted when I was offered an interview! My coach went over interview questions, I practiced a lot and it made me a lot calmer as he gave me the confidence and reassurance I needed to get the job.

Now, as an Emergency Care Assistant, I’m working to become a full Paramedic. I’m excited and looking forward to the next steps, including getting my C1 license and intensive blue light training.

Inspire helped me get better and gave me the skills, confidence and support to pursue my goals, and I’m grateful for that.