Our Programme — Bright Futures Foundation

12 weeks. Four pillars. Real change.

Our programme is built on trauma-informed practice, lived experience, and a genuine belief that every young adult has the capacity to build a good life.

How our programme works

Each cohort will run for 12 weeks and supports between 15 and 25 young adults aged 18–25 who are facing potential homelessness, low self-esteem, or emotional vulnerability, particularly those displaced or rejected by their families.

We’ll run four cohorts per year, creating a continuous pipeline of support. Young people can be referred by professionals, family members, or refer themselves. We respond to every enquiry within 48 hours.

Our approach is trauma-informed throughout. We never pathologise the young people we work with. We work with their strengths, not their deficits, and we meet them exactly where they are.

Refer a young person
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Duration
12 weeks per cohort
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Cohort size
15 to 25 young people
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Frequency
4 cohorts per year
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Who we support
Ages 18 to 25, Wigan & GM
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Referral response
Within 48 hours

What we deliver

1

Safe space & immediate support

Our drop-in is a calm, welcoming environment where young people can arrive in crisis and leave with a plan, a contact, and the beginning of trust. No judgement, no forms before a cup of tea.

Drop-in centre with food and warmth
Hygiene supplies and basic necessities
Emergency signposting to accommodation
Confidential 1:1 emotional support
Safeguarding and crisis response
Lived-experience staff on hand
2

Confidence & self-esteem development

Trauma and rejection erode the sense of self. Our workshops, peer groups, and creative sessions rebuild it. By the end of a cohort, participants feel seen for the first time.

Weekly self-worth workshops
Peer support groups
Resilience and trauma processing
Creative expression sessions
Journaling and win tracking
Mentoring from lived experience staff
3

Life skills & independence

Many young people arrive without the practical skills to manage a home, a budget, or a job interview. We teach those skills in a supportive, non-condescending environment that respects where they are starting from.

Cooking and nutrition basics
Budgeting and money management
CV writing and interview skills
Employment guidance and job search
Access to training and education
Housing navigation and tenancy support
4

Community, belonging & positive identity

Many of our participants have never felt they belonged anywhere. The peer community we build is one of the most powerful things we offer. It does not end when the 12 weeks do.

Peer mentoring relationships
Community activities and shared experiences
Advocacy and systems navigation
Identity and positive self-narrative work
Alumni network and ongoing connection
Family mediation where appropriate

A cohort in three phases

Each 12-week cohort moves through three connected phases, each building on the last.

Weeks 1 to 4

Foundation

Building trust, establishing safety, understanding each young person's situation. Drop-in support begins. First workshops on self-worth and emotional safety.

Weeks 5 to 9

Growth

Deeper workshop programme on confidence and life skills. Peer mentoring pairs established. Employment and housing navigation begins. Creative sessions in full swing.

Weeks 10 to 12

Forward

Consolidating progress, planning next steps, connecting to longer-term support. Celebration of achievements. Alumni network introductions and peer mentor pathways.

Who we work with & how to refer

Young people we support

  • Aged 18 to 25, based in Wigan or Greater Manchester
  • Facing or at risk of homelessness
  • Experiencing low self-esteem or emotional vulnerability
  • Displaced or rejected by family
  • Struggling with mental health or trauma
  • Disengaged from formal services
  • Motivated to make a change, however small

Who can refer

  • Council housing and social care teams
  • NHS mental health professionals
  • Schools, colleges and training providers
  • Police, probation and youth justice
  • Voluntary and charity sector workers
  • Family members or trusted adults
  • Young people referring themselves
"
We did not set out to build an organisation. We set out to stop young people sleeping in garages and feeling worthless.
Paul & Gina, Founders, Bright Futures Foundation

Ready to refer a young person?

We respond to every referral within 48 hours. Self-referrals are always welcome.