OUR PROJECTS
GATEWAY PROJECTS
All children begin their journey with Free to Be Kids by attending our Gateway projects. Some only attend once, for respite during a time of particular turbulence in their life, whilst others need the consistency and support we can offer throughout their whole childhood, returning annually or biannually, or moving to one of our other projects as they grow.
The 5−day residential projects provide an intensive introduction to our work and our team develop an in-depth understanding of each child’s strengths, interests and needs through living alongside them. The projects are carefully designed to support particularly vulnerable children who may struggle to engage with more generic support, such as local youth groups and open access holiday provision. Our high adult:child ratio gives us the ability to respond flexibly to individual children’s needs, ensuring that each has the time and tailored support they need to succeed.
Children are grouped into small family units, along with 2−3 consistent adult ‘Helpers’, who provide nurturing, therapeutic support throughout their stay. Helpers support children to make friends quickly and facilitate teamwork and social skills. Through engaging activities like kayaking across a lake, pony trekking through the woods, and treasure hunts at the beach, children build resilience, confidence, and social skills. The supportive environment helps them feel more confident in overcoming challenges and develop a sense of belonging.
Referrers, parents and children themselves tell us that our Gateway Projects give them:
Increased resilience and confidence
Improved social skills and relationships
A sense of belonging and feeling special – often for the first time in a long time
Joy, adventure and space to play
MENTORING
Mentoring provides follow-on one-to-one support for children and young people who have attended a Thrive Outside Gateway Project and would benefit from ongoing time with a consistent adult through weekly or fortnightly sessions over a 12−18 month period.
Generally, children are paired with adults they have already met and connected with during their Gateway projects, enabling them to quickly create a safe and positive space in which to share challenges and download thoughts and reducing the risk of the pairing breaking down.
Together with our staff team and their family, children and mentors work together to set a range of social and emotional goals to work towards throughout the duration of their time together. Through co-designed weekly or fortnightly activity sessions, children and mentors explore challenges, overcome barriers and stretch children’s comfort zones. Popular activities include playing sports together, jewellery making, cooking and art workshops and trips to museums and the theatre.
Referrers, parents and children themselves tell us that Mentoring gives them:
A supportive relationship and confidential space to share worries and thoughts
Regular positive and confidence building activities
Improved emotional wellbeing
Feeling less isolated and alone
“It’s much less bleak here. That’s because of all the nature and people’s attitudes here. Its cleaner air and you get to run around more. It helps me to take a calmer route. If I’m worried, I can just walk in the forest and chill and I know the adults will help me to resolve the situation.”
Sami, age 11
“I’m getting my daughter back. She lost her dad at the age of 10 and spent the whole of secondary school without his input. The support workers she had from Free to Be Kids are brilliant. She’s better at doing tasks, especially school work , she’s determined to finish her assignments and persevere.”
Kayla’s mum
“Free to Be Kids is my safe space, I feel like it’s a home full of love. It’s a place where I can take a breath and no one will judge me.”
Michael, age 11
JOURNEY PROJECTS
Journey Projects provide more specialized and targeted support for young people, aged 14 – 16, with deeply entrenched negative self-narratives. These programmes of 6 small group residential projects, spread over 18 months, offer a combination of engaging activities, one-on-one coaching, and facilitated group reflection sessions to help particularly at-risk young people to better see what they are capable of and improve their mental well-being. Young people are encouraged to challenge negative thoughts and beliefs, develop effective coping mechanisms, and set ambitious goals for their future. The emphasis on self-reflection and group support over the duration of the time together fosters a powerful sense of belonging and encourages open communication around personal challenges.
Alongside the same group of consistent adults, young people are challenged to stretch their comfort zones with activities that push their expectations of what they can achieve – from completing underground caving expeditions and woodland survival challenges, to blindfolded Land Rover driving and working together to sail a tall ship across the Solent. With one to one support ratios and daily group facilitation sessions young people quickly begin to gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, enabling them to more regularly make informed decisions both within the projects and elsewhere in their lives.
Referrers, parents and children themselves tell us that our Journey Projects give them:
Enhanced self-awareness
Reduced risk of negative outcomes and risky behaviour
Increased likelihood of engagement in other professional helping relationships (e.g. with social workers and school)
Redefined aspirations and a clearer sense of hope and direction
YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAMME
Our Young Leaders’ Programme offers a unique opportunity for young people aged 14+ who have taken part in Free to Be Kids’ projects to return on our residential projects as volunteers and role models for younger children. Young Leaders gain valuable experience working directly with children facing similar challenges to their own, fostering a sense of purpose and building excellent communication and leadership skills. Comprehensive training and coaching is provided to help Young Leaders to transition from receiving support to providing it to others and a full calendar of professional development and fun activities runs alongside the volunteering programme.
Young Leaders also feed into the day to day running of the charity, supporting in training adult volunteers, shortlisting new staff members and providing insights to funders and supporters. At age 18, Young Leaders are supported to become part of Free to Be Kids’ general volunteering team, continuing their engagement.
Young Leaders tell us that the programme gives them:
A strong sense of empowerment and feeling valued
Support around further education and career aspirations
A better understanding of their leadership and team working skills, which have often been overlooked in other areas of their lives
“Sometimes I don’t feel that what I do in life matters, but when I come to Free to Be Kids, it makes me feel like everything I do really does matter and I’m helping so many other people. It transfers to things outside as well – I feel more confident in my school work, in making friends and talking to people and I know that when I come back to volunteer again, all my friends will be there, so I feel like I have people to fall back on and trust when I need them.”
Sammy, Young Leader, 16
“When I got the call to say do you want to be a Young Leader, I jumped at it. It was kind of breath taking and inspiring. Through coming on Free to Be Kids myself, I’ve learned to calm down so with the children, I know how to calm them down too, because I’ve been in their situation.”
Maddison, Young Leader, 16
“Being a Young Leader is an amazing and unexpected experience. I love making bonds with the kids. One boy was really nervous about going horse riding, but he asked if I could sit with him on the bus. He trusted me out of everyone, even though I was one of the newest volunteers – I guess because he knew I’d been a kid like him once.”
Toyin, Young Leader, 15