Welcome to our Future Communities Fund Round Two Partners

Today, we are proud to announce the organisations we are funding through the second round of our Future Communities Fund. The organisations supported by this round of the fund are all helping young people with experience of the justice system to reconnect with their communities. We are supporting organisations across the UK with up to £150,000 of unrestricted funding in total, spread over five years. 

For this fund, we truly shifted power to young people. This fund was co-designed with our Future Communities Collective and informed by young people from Leaders Unlocked, whose lived experience of the justice system shaped the development of this fund. As well as designing the fund criteria and interviewing shortlisted applicants, the Future Communities Collective made the decisions on which organisations would receive funding. They wrote about their experience working on this fund in this blog.  

We’re incredibly grateful to the Collective for their commitment, determination and leadership on this fund. Thank you also to HUDL for their support and facilitation of this work. 

For this round of the Future Communities Fund, we have partnered with organisations who: 

• Support young people to navigate the social stigma which can be associated for those with experience of the justice system  

• Have strong, existing relationships with referral agencies to ensure a smooth transition out of the justice system  

• Have experience of developing routes for young people transitioning from the justice system into training and employment   

• Have experience of supporting young people to develop skills that help them feel empowered to make positive changes in their lives  

• Value lived experience and have justice experienced young people involved in their governance and/or service delivery   

• Have experience of building flexible, consistent, positive relationships with young people 

We have awarded funding to eight organisations based in England. We are now actively connecting with organisations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to ensure those that meet our fund criteria have the opportunity to engage with the fund. We are looking forward to sharing which partners we will be supporting later in the year. 

Meet our partners 

In their own words, our Future Communities Fund Round Two partners shared how they work to support young people with experience of the justice system to reconnect with their communities: 

Tailored Futures CIC is a social enterprise supporting people with lived experience of the criminal justice system to rebuild their lives after prison. They provide holistic, person-centred support from the point of release and throughout a young person’s journey back into the community. 

“We’re incredibly grateful to have been awarded five years of funding from Co-op Foundation. What makes this multi-year funding so meaningful is the consistency it allows. Real change does not happen overnight. It takes time to build trust, respond to setbacks and walk alongside someone as they grow in confidence and stability. This funding allows us to do that properly, without rushing the process.” Titi Solarin, Founder of Tailored Futures 

Refocus Project is a UK charity that supports children, young people and families affected by crime, poverty, violence, exploitation and disadvantage. Working both within prisons and in communities, they provide mentoring, rehabilitation and practical support to help people move away from crime and rebuild their lives.  

Through trusted mentoring, workshops, family support and positive activities, Refocus helps young people build confidence, resilience and safer futures. Many staff bring lived experience alongside professional expertise, enabling them to build credible relationships and offer support that feels real and relatable. 

100 & First Foundation supports marginalised young people to build the mindset, skills, and opportunities they need to thrive. Working in schools, alternative provision, and custody settings such as HMP Portland, the charity focuses on addressing the root causes of behaviour by helping young people reshape their sense of identity and possibility. 

“It’s good being with someone who gets it and just wants what’s best for me. Someone I can trust” – Young person supported by 100 & First Foundation 

Inspired Futures is a youth-focused charity supporting young people aged 11–25 who are at risk of, or have experience with, the criminal justice system. Through early intervention, mentoring, and preventative education programmes, they work with schools, communities, and local authorities to address the root causes of youth violence and exploitation. 

Drawing on lived experience and strong community partnerships, Inspired Futures delivers workshops, mentoring, and life-skills programmes that help young people build resilience, confidence, and positive pathways into education, employment, and community leadership. 

The Footprints Project works with people in Hampshire and Dorset who have been affected by the criminal justice system, encouraging self-worth, nurturing hope and bringing a sense of belonging, building stronger, safer communities.  

“This funding will enable us to expand our work in local Youth Offending Institutions, and our service user talks in local colleges, giving young people the opportunity to tell their stories and have their voices heard.” Caroline Stevens, Chief Executive, The Footprints Project 

Mwanzo Project is a Black Led Grassroots Community Interest Company founded in response to the gap in provision for children and young people who are at risk/involved in offending, exploitation and street conflict. They recognise the racial disproportionality within our Criminal Legal System, the over-criminalisation, institutional and structural racism experienced by Black and racially minoritised young people and are committed to use our expertise and skills to offer bespoke support to those most marginalised by wider society. 

Mwanzo Project seeks to create opportunities for young people to engage in support that is accessible to them, provide them with opportunities to build relationships with mentors and role-models who they can relate to and unlock their potential. 

Genuine Futures CIC is a youth-led social enterprise supporting young people aged 15–24 who are not in education, employment or training, including those at risk of entering or transitioning away from the justice system. Founded on lived experience, they work with young people who have faced significant barriers, including exclusion, homelessness and involvement in the criminal justice system. 

By combining mentoring, enterprise, creative engagement, and digital innovation, Genuine Futures creates alternative pathways that reduce reoffending, improve wellbeing, and empower young people to build sustainable futures. 

Exit Foundation is a charity delivering tailored mentoring to empower individuals, including those with experience of the justice system, to avoid negative pathways, address underlying issues and rebuild their lives. With a strong emphasis on relationship-building, they support clients into Employment, Training, and Education (ETE) through a holistic, multi-agency approach. 

“Your unrestricted funding gives us something incredibly powerful: trust. It allows us to focus fully on delivering impact, not just managing constraints, and that makes a tangible difference to the people we support every day. We are deeply grateful for your commitment for the next five years. This kind of sustained, flexible funding enables us to plan long-term, respond quickly, and strengthen the work we know changes lives.” Paul Hayes, Director of Exit Foundation

We are incredibly excited to be working with these brilliant organisations over the next five years and look forward to collaborating and sharing learning to maximise the impact of our partnership. 

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