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Category: Business Updates

News Update: Team of Walkers Hike Castle Hill to Raise Awareness for YCC

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

On Sunday 17th July, a group of 27 walkers (and three dogs) took to the streets of Huddersfield for a 2.5 mile hike from Brian Jackson House, up to the top of Castle Hill (and back down again!).

All ready to go – the team met at Brian Jackson House and walked through the centre of Huddersfield, and up Newsome Road.

The group was made up of Fresh Futures staff, volunteers and members of the community. It was an excellent turn out and we certainly turned some heads as we marched up to the top the hill sporting our bright yellow Fresh Futures t-shirts.

The objective of the walk was to raise the charity’s profile. We spoke to several members of the public as we completed the walk, to spread the message that Fresh Futures seeks to Improve Lives and Inspire Change through our four core values: Employability, Education, Health and Wellbeing and Healthy Relationships!

The walkers passed thousands of cars and members of the public whilst sporting bright yellow Fresh Futures t-shirts!

As well as raising our profile yesterday, many of the walkers were sponsored to complete the challenge. Thanks to these individuals, we have also so far raised over £600 for the charity which will be fundamental in helping Fresh Futures reach even more children, young people, and their families to offer life-changing support where it is needed most.

What’s more, the charity was lucky enough to be joined by Fresh Futures royalty! Amongst the walkers was Lucy Jackson – the daughter of YCC’s founder, Brian Jackson – and two of her children! Lucy told Fresh Futures

“It was a real pleasure to join staff, volunteers and friends of Yorkshire Children’s Centre on Sunday for the sponsored walk up Castle Hill, with two of my own children (now adults!). It was great to see my dad’s legacy still alive in his home town – he always believed that every child is exceptional  , that every child has the right to play, be looked after, be safe and protected from violence, to learn and be loved – all beliefs that I still see in the work of Fresh Futures today, 39 years after his death (running in Huddersfield to raise funds for the centre). Thank you all again for all your passion and commitment”

Lucy Jackson – daughter of the charity’s founder Brian Jackson – and two of her children joined in with the walk on Sunday.

On behalf of the Fresh Futures charity – a HUGE thank you to all of those who participated in the walk and who sponsored the event. This includes everyone who reached out to us on our Just Giving page and left donations and messages of support, all of the friends and family who donated on sponsorship forms, the members of public who cheered us on with car beeps and words of encouragement, and to AG BARR who provided us with plenty of refreshments to keep us going throughout the day!

Samantha Latchayya who led the group on the day said that “The walk was a huge success. It’s completely thanks to the group of amazing individuals who could have chosen to do anything on that hot Sunday morning, but chose to spend it supporting Fresh Futures – which was incredibly heart-warming!”

If you would like join in with any of YCC’s upcoming events, please feel free to check out our volunteer page on the website or you can also contact [email protected] (Volunteering Development Officer) directly.

JUST GIVING LINK: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/WalkWithYCCCastleHill?utm_source=Sharethis&utm_medium=campaign&utm_content=WalkWithYCCCastleHill&utm_campaign=pfp-email&utm_term=c41db53cdb1244d5b77d7ccbb73231e2

Finally at the top! The group posed for a photo and enjoyed some refreshments before heading back down again.

#WeAreFresh Futures #WalkWithYCC

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/ycc24hrthreepeaks2022

To find out more about the ways you can support Fresh Futures please contact Head of Income and Partnerships Sara Eltman [email protected]

News Update: Fresh Futures Service Managers Graduate from Management Training

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

May marked a very special occasion for many of YCC’s service managers, who, on 24th May, graduated from the Management Training & Development Programme.

The intensive course was tailored specifically by our external HR providers, HR180, to support all service managers in building the perfect skillset required to be an effective manager.

Service Managers were presented their certificates by the Senior Leadership Team

Modules included:

  • Leadership
  • Team Performance
  • Absence & Wellbeing
  • Capability * Disciplinary
  • Grievances & Conflict
  • Recruitment

Important Learnings

During the ceremony, the graduating staff each presented their learnings from the course to the Leadership Team, HR180, and their colleagues. Amongst many professional take-aways, everyone agreed that the course had enabled them to build confidence within their roles and connect with their fellow senior manager colleagues as ‘one team’, learning to work together and collaborate internally in order to move the charity forwards and provide a stronger, all-rounded service to the charity’s service users.

Service Managers receiving their hard-earned certificates.

Fresh Futures would like to thank HR180 for designing the training for our organisation, in line with our objectives, and for delivering the training so professionally and effectively.

Working for YCC

Fresh Futures is a flat hierarchy third sector organisation that encourages the growth and development of all staff, supporting employees up the ladder towards their own career goals.

If you would like to build a career at YCC, feel free to check out our vacancies on our website HERE.

News Update: Fresh Futures Reaches out to Ukrainian Families Refugees with Job Vacancies

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

Refugees Welcome!

At Fresh Futures we support vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people, and their families.

It goes without saying that refugees can be extremely vulnerable and disadvantaged when they arrive in the UK.

Refugees experience conditions of vulnerability, marginalisation, and poverty, in addition to high stress of displacement, which can seriously affect health and wellbeing, in particular for women, children, and older people.

That’s why Fresh Futures are looking to take action quickly. We have been in touch with the DWP, to support their programme and offer work to people arriving from Ukraine and Afghanistan. Once employed by us, we will be able to mentor, train, support and develop any individuals, as we do with all of our staff.

We have many available roles currently vacant within our charity and would be proud if any refugee wished to apply for any of them.

We will keep you posted of any positive outcomes.

#WeAreYCC#WeAreOneCommuinty

A “Refugees welcome” banner hanging on Madrid’s town hall building.

Fresh Futures are FINALISTS for the Covid Hero Award!

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

Fresh Futures are incredibly proud to announce that on Friday 06th May, at the Yorkshire Choice Awards, Fresh Futures were FINALISTS in the Covid Hero Award nominations.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who voted for us, and to thank all of our staff and volunteers who worked throughout this difficult time providing support across our communities.

Although we didn’t quite take home the award on the night, this is still a fantastic moment, and highlights just how important and impactful our charity was during the pandemic. We couldn’t be more proud of the work that was carried out and the passion and dedication that so many individuals demonstrated, even in such difficult times

Mark Farmer, Chief Executive said: “”.

Fresh Futures would also like to congratulate Yorkshire Scrubs who took home the award on the night – another voluntary organisation who made and supplied over 23,000 sets of scrubs for frontline workers during the pandemic.

Fresh Futures Announces 3-Year Strategy & Launches Brand-New Website.

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

Regional charity Yorkshire Children’s Centre (YCC) hosted a special event at their site at Brian Jackson House, Huddersfield on 15th March to launch their new three-year strategy and brand-new website for the charity. The event saw 50 people from across the Fresh Futures team, external partners and supporters come together to celebrate the exciting plans.

The event had a great turnout, including two students from YCC’s alternative provision college, who presented Proactive Code with a thank you gift.

Established in 1974, and looking towards their 50th Anniversary, this is an exciting stage in Fresh Futures history, that will bring focus to the services they deliver to improve lives and inspire change in vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people, and their families across Kirklees and the surrounding areas.

Mark Farmer CEO said “It was great to get together to share plans that will shape the future of the charity over the next three years. It was also the launch of our brand-new website, and thanks must go to Martin Port (BigChange) and Dan Todd (Proactive Code) who have enabled us to complete this project.”

Fresh Futures is a regional charity that works with vulnerable and disadvantaged children, young people, and their families within Kirklees and surrounding areas. We are thought leaders and, together with partners, our mission is to deliver the best possible outcomes through four interwoven strands of activity – providing education services and facilities, building healthy relationships, promoting health and wellbeing, and improving employability skills.

YCC’s partners and stakeholders were invited to the event to meet with Fresh Futures departments and learn about their services

For more information about how you can support Fresh Futures please contact Sara Eltman [email protected]

YCC’s Young Onset Dementia Support Group Get Gardening!

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya
The kind and enthusiastic team set to work on the garden space at Brian Jackson House, Huddersfield

Spring is officially here! And what better way to enjoy the weather and work on some mindfulness, than with a little gardening under a blue sky.

At the end of March, YCC’s young onset dementia support group did just that!

YCC’s Brian Jackson House in Huddersfield has recently restored a large garden area located at the front of the building, nestled in a quiet nook between the charity’s main entrance and the trainlines. The space has long been an overgrown storage area, but thanks to a lot of hard work from some volunteers at Forbes Solicitors, the space was transformed back in October 21 and is now a clear, open space that can be used by staff and service users alike.

Fresh Futures are still working on the space, to make it as beautiful and welcoming as possible – and are dependent on the support from local communities to do so. Over the past few months, garden furniture has been installed and the area maintained by more enthusiastic volunteers.

Fresh Futures welcomed the young onset dementia group to the garden, who did some amazing work with the new planters. The group helped to fill the planters with soil, in preparation for them being used for growing fruit and vegetables.

YCC’s Young Onset Dementia Group kindly volunteered their time to help transform the garden space at Brian Jackson House

Since October, the space has really become something special. Take a look at these before and after shots to see just how much hard work has gone into making the space accessible. It’s still a work in progress, but you can really see the potential the space has to offer.

Before (October 21)
Currently (March 22)

Fresh Futures are still looking for more keen volunteers to support the maintenance and/or development of the newly refurbished outdoor space at Brian Jackson House. Members of the public are welcome to volunteer their time on a one-off basis, or may also like to form a gardeners’ group that look after the space on a regular basis.

Fresh Futures are also looking to collect donations of gardening tools in good condition, that can be used within the space.

If you would like to learn more about the garden space at Brian Jackson House, please contact [email protected]

YCC’s NEW Website

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

On 15th March, Fresh Futures launched their new, modern website: www.freshfutures.org.uk

The website was a much needed modernisation to the old site, and allows Fresh Futures to not only reach out to supporters and volunteers, but also to act as a platform for potential service users to access important information that can really make a difference!

Our top 3 favourite things about the website are:

  1. The Our People page – where you can get to know our Trustees, Leadership Team and Managers, viewing their hobbies, and – the best bit… their old baby pictures

2. Our Superhero images – that show children as we see them… SUPER!

3. Our Volunteer With Us page, where you can find out about the MANY MANY ways that you can get involved with Fresh Futures and support a GREAT cause!

Fresh Futures would like to take this opportunity to thank supporters Martin Port, from Big Change, and Daniel Todd from Proactive Code, whose kindness and generosity has enabled the charity to create the new site.

We would like to send an extended thank you to Mark Crow and the rest of the team at Proactive Code, who worked with us almost every day over the last four months, to get the website completed over a short period of time and to an excellent standard.

Martin Port, from Big Change, left this message for the Fresh Futures team.

YCC’s Strategy Launch

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

Over the past 6 months, Fresh Futures has been working with employees, volunteers and Trustees to agree the upcoming 3-year strategy that will cover the charity’s 50th year anniversary. This includes work on the charity’s mission, vision and core values.

The charity was established in 1974 by Brian Jackson, and since then has grown from strength to strength, broadening its reach to children and families across South and West Yorkshire year upon year, continuing the legacy that Brian created, to Improve Lives and Inspire Change.

Over the last few years, and certainly since the start of the pandemic, the required scope of services and levels of people in need of support have increased significantly.

Whilst children and young people will forever be at the heart of everything that the charity does, we also recognise the importance of supporting families, to in turn give better support to the children. The need to provide more care for the mental health and wellbeing of children and parents has been highlighted, as has the need to provide opportunities for parents to enhance their employability skills.

Furthermore, the need to build stronger family relationships and support new family dynamics has remained critical over the last few years. Finally, our experience working with students in our alternative provision colleges has only further emphasised the huge positive impact that this has on young adults. We are therefore keen to continue expanding our college provisions, to support students into adulthood, providing them with key skills, qualifications, confidence and a greater opportunity to succeed in life.

The upcoming 3-year strategy takes all of these factors into consideration, whilst also introducing some exiting logistical plans.

At the core of the strategy, sits the child. Children and Young People are at the heart of everything that Fresh Futures does, and every service that Fresh Futures offers will link back to the child.

The four CORE STRANDS of the charity’s strategy, cover the following themes:

  • Education
  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Employment & Skills
  • Relationships

All of YCC’s services will seek to encompass these themes.

We look forward to working further on our strategy, and will communicate our final strategy and plans to all of our stakeholders, in the near future.

#WeAreYCC

Fresh Futures is nominated for the COVID HERO award at the Yorkshire Choice Awards

Posted on by Samantha Latchayya

Please support Fresh Futures by placing your vote HERE

Dear Fresh Futures employees and volunteers,

This well-deserved award recognises the immense efforts of Fresh Futures employees and volunteers throughout the course of the pandemic.

The pandemic affected every one of us on a personal level, yet every single Fresh Futures employee and volunteer shone during this time, going above and beyond your roles to support those in difficult situations.

This award is a great way to recognise and celebrate what YOU achieved, and the differences your efforts made, since 2019. Congratulations to each of you!

The winner of this award will be announced on 06th May, and will be decided by an online public vote, which closes on 31st March.

Whether we win the award with the most votes, or not, this is an incredible celebration of everyone’s individual and team efforts. Acknowledging the sleepless nights, the extra hours and the selflessness that each of you showed to others whilst supporting Fresh Futures.

Of course, it would be a great honour to win the award, and would have a huge positive impact upon the charity and the awareness of our services. To that end, we would like to ask each of your to support this nomination, by placing your vote for Fresh Futures in the Yorkshire Choice Awards, Covid Hero category. If we all come together to collect votes, we will have a strong chance to win!

Here’s a glimpse of some of the things that we did to deserve this nomination…

Please don’t forget to vote, and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE this news with your friends, family and colleagues.

MORE Success stories from 2021

Posted on by YorkshireChildrensCharityAdmin

At the end of 2021, we shared with you our 2021 in numbers paper – a document that illustrated the incredible reach that Fresh Futures had over the last 12 months (you can view this by clicking HERE or scrolling down)

But that’s not everything that we did. As we reflect on the incredible year that the charity had in 2021, and look towards a prosperous 2022, we would love to share with you some more great things that the charity achieved in 2021 – thanks to our massively dedicated team of over 100 employees, and wonderful volunteers!

  • In 2021, Fresh Futures successfully launched several campaigns for local communities, including the Winter Warmer coat collection for refugees, the transformation of the Brian Jackson House outdoor public area, and the Gift Appeal for all of our service users.
  • Looking at Fresh Futures as an employer, Fresh Futures implemented a 24/7 employee assistance programme for all staff, free of charge, and rolled out the Role and Reward scheme which saw the majority of staff receiving a pay increase suited to their roles.
  • Furthermore, YCC established an Employee Forum to help keep employee satisfaction a top priority, furlough was removed with all staff returning to the office, and we proudly welcomed lots of new staff to each of the ever-growing teams. This include new members of the Leadership Team, and a new Fresh Futures Chair.
  • Publicly, YCC’s domestic abuse department appeared on BBC Look North, we had a very special visit from the Major of West Yorkshire during our Safety Rangers event, and we dramatically increased our presence on social media (#WeAreYCC!).
  • Following the two lockdowns, Fresh Futures refurbished the community café space in Brian Jackson House and the charity, Healthy Hearts opened ‘Full Circle Café’ which now hosts lots of community events.
  • The Fresh Futures charity shop in Heckmondwike reopened to the public, YCC’s services reintroduced face-to-face groups and in-house services, and the Brian Jackson Colleges overcame all Covid-19 related hurdles to achieve strong results for the college pupils.
  • Finally, the charity had its RESPECT accreditation renewed, secured further funding to continue many services for at least another 12 months, introduced Recognise, Reflect, Change; a new accredited intervention programme by DAPP, and welcomed on board dozens of awesome volunteers to support more events and reach more local people in need.

WOW!