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Fresh Futures are thrilled to announce the launch of our new young adults service!

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Since September 2023, we have been co-creating a service with young adults aged 18 – 26 years old and living in Kirklees. We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has taken part in the pilot service and contributed their ideas: we couldn’t do this work without you!

Our new service is called Elevate, which aims to develop confidence, self-esteem and social skills.
We welcome anyone aged between 18 – 26 and living in Kirklees who wants to make more social connections and develop their confidence. We are especially keen to help those young people who are struggling to find employment or further education opportunities, as we know this group can feel invisible and in need of empowerment.


Are you aged between 18 – 26 years olds and living in Kirklees?
If you’re interested in helping other young people, or you would like to find out more about accessing our service, we would love to hear from you! Please get in touch with our Community Connections team to find out more:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07526178180

The CE of Fresh Futures talks about rebrand and it what the new name means to the charity.

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Today we’re talking to Mark Farmer, Fresh Futures’ CE, to ask him about the new brand launched earlier this week. Mark, YCC has become Fresh Futures – tell us why you’ve decided to change your name.

“When we were established 50 years ago, our vision was simple: to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Kirklees.  Over recent years, our remit has diversified and we provide many more services.  From our work with young people at our alternative education provision through to our work with perpetrators of domestic abuse, our services are more holistic today, than ever before. We’ve changed our name to one that represents our vision to enable children, young people and their families to have to have opportunities for a better life, both now and in the future.”

What difference will the new brand make on the charity?

“The new brand won’t change the services we deliver or the support we provide – we will continue to deliver consistently and provide support to people who need us in Kirklees and the wider region.. The re-brand is about ensuring that our name demonstrates to the local communities who were are and what we do to help.”

This year is your 50th birthday, has the re-brand been planned with this significant anniversary in mind?

“Absolutely! For us, our 50th birthday is a great opportunity to look back at the fantastic impact the team have made on the local community over the past 50 years.  But it’s also an opportunity for us to look forward about how we can help over the next 50 years.

We all recognise that these are challenging times for many. Between the pandemic and global wars, through to the cost of living crisis, many people from Kirklees are struggling and living in poverty. Fresh Futures wants to be at the heart of finding solutions in our  communities, championing new projects and continuing to diversify and support more people.”

What’s on the horizon over the next year for Fresh Futures?

“We have some exciting new projects coming up over the next 12 months. In January we’ll be launching a warm spaces project, from there we’re developing an employability offering and a support network specifically designed with young adults at the heart of it.  There’s also developments within our education provision, with a move towards more vocational courses, alongside opening our doors to offer education to post 16 young people.

Both I and the trustees feel that Fresh Futures is the right name for the exciting developments ahead, while still representing our core services supporting children, young people and their families.”

Watch this space – exciting times for Fresh Futures ahead.

Meet the Team: Katie Shephard

Posted on by Katie Shephard

This month we have caught up with Katie who is the Head of Income and Partnerships at Fresh Futures. Katie joined the team back in September and is passionate about making a difference to children, young people and families. Katie is already planning some exciting events and activities for 2024 so keep your eyes peeled!

Job Title: Head of Income and Partnerships       

Date joined YCC: 11th September 2023

Tell us a little bit about yourself: I’ve worked in the charity sector for the past 15+ years and I’m really passionate about making a difference.  As a parent, Fresh Futures work is really close to my heart and it’s fantastic the way that the charity works to support families holistically so they get the support they need to move forward to a positive future.

Tell us about your role at YCC: I oversee all of the fundraising activity at Fresh Futures which means I get to work with all the wonderful people and companies who do fantastic fundraisers for us.  I also oversee all of the marketing and comms activity, which includes things like our social media channels.

Why do you like working for YCC? It’s fantastic! The charity does amazing work with local people across Kirklees, providing vital support and services to people who need them.  It’s also a great team to be a part of, everyone is so committed and enthusiastic.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering working at YCC? Definitely go for it! It’s a fantastic place to work, with wonderful people, and there’s always something new and interesting happening. 

If you would like to join the Fresh Futures Team, keep a look out for our current vacancies HERE.

#WeAreFresh Futures #MeetTheTeam

Ukrainian Independence Day

Posted on by Katie Shephard

On the 3rd September 2023, the Ukrainian community in North Kirklees joined together to celebrate Independence Day.

To mark this special occasion for our Ukrainian friends, YCC’s Community Connections Team organised a free family-fun event at the United Reformed Church in Heckmondwike. Throughout the day, over 80 people attended, including adults and children, to enjoy lots of activities including flower crafting, face painting and treasure hunts. We were also provided with fabulous music by Yulia Lord, and a Cossack dance performance.

One of the event attendees, Maryna, said: “We don’t get to see each other much anymore with work and stuff, so this event gives us that chance. Thank you”.

Fresh Futures Communities Officer, Ryan Cross said: “Seeing the Ukrainian people that we have been working with come together and celebrate their culture has been a wonderful thing. It’s always a pleasure working with these guys, especially when we can see the progress that has been made in whatever endeavours they have embarked upon. Whether it’s employment, learning English or living independent of their host family, they are all achieving incredible things.”

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to the United Reformed Church for supporting this event, and S2R for co-hosting the event, and a very special thank you to Arabella who helped run our wonderful activities on the day.

News Update: Brian Jackson College celebrates ‘Good’ Ofsted rating!

Posted on by Katie Shephard

Fresh Futures Brian Jackson College are proud to announce that they have once again achieved a rating of GOOD during their recent Ofsted inspection!

At Brian Jackson College, we pride ourselves on the quality of work we deliver, and the outcomes we achieve to improve the lives of young people and inspire positive change to encourage better opportunities for their futures.

In June we welcomed Ofsted inspectors into Brian Jackson College, where they carried out a two-day inspection of our education settings across Huddersfield and Heckmondwike. We were delighted that the inspectors recognised the invaluable support, ongoing improvements, and dedication we provide to our young people on a daily basis.

Throughout their visit, inspectors spent time talking to staff and students, and discussing their views around various topics such as safeguarding, bullying and equality and diversity. The staff and students gave glowing feedback and spoke highly of the unique family-feel at the college. The inspectors agreed with the comments and observations made, so much so, they have awarded us, for the third time, a GOOD Ofsted rating.

The team at Brian Jackson College couldn’t be prouder of maintaining this achievement throughout the years.

Headteacher, Jacqui Green, was over-joyed to share the exciting news with parents, carers, students and colleagues. Jacqui said: “This is an excellent report, particularly at a time when the benchmark for ‘Good’ is at the highest level it has ever been. I am particularly pleased that Ofsted recognised the journey of improvements made at Brian Jackson College over the past four years and I would like to thank the parents/carers who have supported the school during this time. Once again, may I thank all those involved in the inspection itself, especially the staff, Brian Jackson College, governors, and the pupils who shone during the inspection process and continue to make a positive contribution to school life.”

Mark Farmer, Chief Executive Officer at Yorkshire Children’s Centre, added: “I am delighted that the great work our team do to develop our students continues to be recognised by Ofsted. Our model of blending academic and vocational learning, in a nurturing, supportive and safe environment, provides a fresh start for young people for whom mainstream schooling has not worked. Brian Jackson College is a shining example of good alternative education provision, and I am proud of the difference we make.”

Brian Jackson College is an alternative provision school, run across two sites in Heckmondwike and Huddersfield, teaching core and vocational subjects to around 60 pupils in years 9-11.

To find out more about Brian Jackson College, please visit: www.brianjacksoncollege.co.uk

#BrianJacksonCollege #WeAreYCC

Volunteer of the Month: May

Posted on by Katie Shephard

Volunteer of the month is when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the, quite literally, life changing work they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Alison Hill who has been volunteering as a befriender at Fresh Futures for nearly 3 years. Alison has been able to see first-hand the difference that befriending has made to the lives of some of our community friends.

We caught up with Alison to hear about her Fresh Futures Volunteering journey so far…

  1. Name: Alison Hill
  2. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? Nearly 3 years since the beginning of Covid. 
  3. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: I’m a telephone volunteer who calls two friends each week. I call them less now because they are starting to get out and about a little more which means we have even more to talk about. I started during the pandemic calling people who were alone. We still speak every couple of weeks.
  4. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I couldn’t take my friends out at the beginning of Covid and I thought telephoning people would help them as much as it helped me.
  5. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? Just give it a go, I think both parties get a heck of a lot out of it, I certainly do. I’ve been volunteering for nearly 9 years with different charities and it’s the best thing I ever started.

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Alison, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]