Onward Lives Charity
Onward Lives’ mission
Onward Lives Charity works to reduce social inequality by supporting people facing disadvantage find sustainable employment, stable housing, and improved wellbeing.
Through practical support, skills development, and partnership working, the charity helps individuals overcome barriers such as homelessness, offending history, addiction, unemployment, and social exclusion.
A focus of the charity’s work is supporting care leavers and young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) to build confidence, gain skills, and access meaningful opportunities that enable long-term independence and positive futures.
How will the donation be used?
The donation will be used to support the delivery of Onward Lives Charity’s NEET programme across Lancashire, providing employability support, mentoring and skills development for young people aged 16–24 who are not currently in education, employment or training.
Funding will contribute towards staffing costs, employability workshops, training resources and participant support, enabling young people to build confidence, develop workplace skills and progress into employment, education or training opportunities. The programme will include one-to-one coaching and mentoring, CV and interview preparation, personal development sessions and ongoing progression support.
The donation will also help Onward Lives Charity continue its early intervention work alongside partners including Lancashire County Council, Preston City Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, supporting young people before they become long-term unemployed or require more intensive support services later in life.
What impact is the donation expected to have?
The donation is expected to support around 20-30 young people aged 16–24 across Lancashire who are currently NEET, including care-experienced young people and those facing barriers such as low confidence, limited work experience, poor mental wellbeing and social disadvantage.
The programme is expected to have a positive impact on participants by improving confidence, motivation and work-readiness. Young people will benefit from one-to-one coaching and mentoring, employability workshops, CV and interview preparation, and personal development support designed to help them progress towards sustainable employment, education or training opportunities.
Expected outcomes include increased engagement with education and employment pathways, improved employability skills, greater self-confidence and reduced risk of long-term unemployment or social exclusion. The programme will also provide early intervention support, helping young people build positive futures and reducing the likelihood that they may require more intensive support services later in life.
“We are incredibly grateful to the IMCF for supporting Onward Lives Charity’s work with young people across Lancashire. This funding will enable us to provide vital coaching, mentoring and employability support to young people who are facing significant barriers to education and employment. Through early intervention and tailored support, we can help young people build confidence, develop practical skills and create positive pathways into employment, education or training. The funding will make a meaningful difference to the lives of the young people we support and strengthen our ability to provide opportunities for those who need them most.”
Katrina Walmsley Head of Business Development, Onward Lives Charity
“I was introduced to Onward Lives at a networking event, and was genuinely inspired by the breadth and impact of their work. What particularly resonated with me was their commitment to supporting people who are often overlooked, and their focus on rehabilitation, dignity and second chances. As someone who works closely with vulnerable individuals, I strongly value organisations that create meaningful, practical change while promoting social responsibility and sustainability.”
HELENA LEE
Solicitor, Irwin Mitchell