Actes Trust Celebrates £396,974 National Lottery Award

​Actes Trust is celebrating a significant milestone after being awarded £396,974 from The National Lottery Community Fund to lead the delivery of Middlesbrough Youth Mutual (MYM) – Better Together – Futures, an ambitious two-year project designed to help young people in Middlesbrough build brighter, more secure futures.

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Delivered in partnership with Linx Youth Project, The Junction Foundation and Youth Focus North East, MYM – Better Together – Futures will focus on supporting 14 to 19-year-olds living in the Middlesbrough wards of Central, Newport and North Ormesby.

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Through a tailored programme of activities, mentoring and skills development, the project aims to equip young people with the confidence, knowledge and tools they need to make the transition into secure and sustained employment. It will also focus on raising aspirations and addressing the barriers that young people often face when trying to enter the world of work.

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In addition to leading MYM - Better Together – Futures, Actes Trust will also play a key delivery role in the MYM - Better Together – Foundations project, providing vital Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) support. This contribution will ensure that young people across Middlesbrough can access clear, high-quality advice and personalised guidance to help them make informed decisions about education, training and future careers.

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Paul Wales, CEO of Actes Trust, says: “The result of hardship due to the lack of income, access to direct resources and support often impacts future livelihoods. This partnership aims to concentrate on several key wards of Middlesbrough affected by inequalities by concentrating its approach on directly supporting young people to increase skills, confidence and labour market knowledge to be able to make informed career decisions.”

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The MYM Better Together – Futures and Foundations projects form part of a broader £1.4 million investment into Middlesbrough by The National Lottery Community Fund, delivered through three interconnected projects under the Middlesbrough Youth Mutual – Better Together banner: Futures, Foundations, and Family Focus.

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These projects are aligned with Middlesbrough Council’s Youth Strategy and Tees Valley Education Multi-Academy Trust’s PLACE programme (People, Learning and Community Engagement), which place children, young people and families experiencing hardship at the centre of lasting, systemic change.

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Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said “This is a serious investment in organisations that do so much positive work for our communities. I’m extremely grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund. Their support can genuinely be life changing. We’re working hard to put in place help, opportunities and experiences for children of all backgrounds. I’m determined to make our town a positive place to grow up in and somewhere young people believe they can build a successful future.”

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These significant awards from The National Lottery Community Fund – made possible thanks to National Lottery players – reflects a shared commitment to creating fairer opportunities for all young people, regardless of their background.