Blog Articles

After a traumatic experience in 2022 left her housebound for nearly three years, Bryany joined CYA's Forging Futures project. With Youth Project Worker Izzie, she started with online catch-ups and gradually built up to walks, café visits, and new activities like badminton. She's since completed a Mental Health First Aid course, started volunteering, landed a job with Cumbria CVS, and is now planning to qualify as a youth worker.

Cumbria Youth Alliance offers a programme called Bridging Horizons which is being presented in summer workshops for the first time and offered to home-educated young people.

CYA is carrying out a youth services mapping exercise to understand what is working well for young people aged 11 to 25 and where improvements are needed. The project invites feedback from young people, families, professionals, and the wider community to help shape the future of youth services across Westmorland and Furness.

With support from CYA’s First Steps to Employment programme, Olivia gained driving lessons, work experience, and CV support. She has since secured a full-time admin role and is working towards a Level 4 qualification, showing how tailored support can open new career paths.

When this young person couldn’t complete their Duke of Edinburgh journey with their school, we stepped in to help.

After college, one young person struggled to find work despite having carpentry skills. Through our Forging Futures programme, we helped him build a CV, gain confidence, and complete a supported work placement. The placement led to a part-time job, which he now complements with voluntary work to build his skills further. He’s working toward new qualifications and a long-term career in maintenance.

Thomas joined Forging Futures after facing unemployment and mental health challenges. With support from Cumbria Youth Alliance, he rebuilt his confidence, began volunteering, and is now our Marketing & Communications Officer. Last month, he shared his inspiring journey at Westminster—highlighting how local youth support creates lasting change.

In May, Cumbria Youth Alliance presented Forging Futures 1 at Westminster, highlighting how trusted relationships, flexible support and partnerships help young people into work. With national organisations in attendance, the session sparked discussion on effective youth employability.

Youth Presence’s Year 6 Transition Project supported children moving to secondary school through in-school sessions, youth groups, and extra transition days, boosting confidence and connection.

The work of supporting staff and volunteers at Red Lonning Community Centre has come to fruition this month with the start of a new Youth Club.

Recently, our support for CandoFM in Barrow has come to fruition. The couple who run this junior community radio station are youth workers and see it as a vehicle for youth work. They have been able to move forward with this now after a period of development supported by CYA.

SO referred by their JCP work coach to the Forging Futures programme, (funded by the Youth Futures Foundation) in November 2023.