WeMindTheGap has been busy over the summer

WeMindTheGap has been busy over the summer, extending our programmes that support under-served young people across North Wales and the North West, recruiting additional staff and securing vital funding. WeMindTheGap directly addresses and challenges social mobility through running holistic programmes for young people, delivered with unashamed love and care.

After the successful launch of the WeDiscover virtual pilot programme across Wrexham and Flintshire in 2020 as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic WeMindTheGap embark on their fourth WeDiscover programme in Cheshire West and Chester in October 2021. A 10 week virtual programme designed to assist isolated young people, disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and at risk of not engaging with education or training.

The programme helps with essential skills such as maths and English. It covers various other topics including world of work, global culture and health and well-being. The programme gives the participants a structure to their day, a dedicated mentor for encouragement and support and they can take away skills and lessons to help them on their journey. To support the running of the WeDiscover programme additional roles have been created which are currently being recruited for.
One of the WeDiscover participants commented.

‘I haven’t been at school since I was 14 and can’t believe how much I’ve enjoyed learning new things’

As a charity none of this would have been possible without funding. The initial WeDiscover programmes were funded by The Moondance Foundation and the Community Foundation in Wales, the Westminster Foundation and the Cheshire Community Foundation.

Recently WeMindTheGap has been awarded a £50,000 Grant from the Lloyds Bank Foundation. This funding is to assist the core funding of the charity and the other programmes running – WeGrow and WeBelong supporting under-served youth across North Wales and the North West.

The strong network of dedicated funders, sponsors, employer partners and supporters are a reminder that together, working simultaneously, WeMindTheGap can continue to change futures for the better.