​CONNECT: Future Ready is a targeted response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and mental health crisis on young people’s lives in the present and future. This employability programme provides holistic support and meets young people where they are in their employability journey, acknowledging their needs and aspirations whilst developing their employability, interpersonal and life skills. 

Future Ready is a pilot project commissioned by North East Combined Authority funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund supporting and empowering economically inactive and/or socially isolated young people aged 16-30 years old in Northumberland on their employability journey.

It draws out elements of our CONNECT professional and personal development training, our creative interventions in school and youth settings and previous young people’s employability projects and interventions.
This employability intervention is designed for young people who may have an interest in the creative industries or for those that would benefit from engaging in an intensive confidence boosting creative employability intervention.

Future Ready Offer to Young People

Across each intervention young people will:
​

• Be supported by Mortal Fools practitioners to find their voice and feel empowered in their employability journey.
• Increase their personal impact and boost their confidence.
• Develop team working skills and meet like-minded young people.
• Engage in creative practical activities designed to explore and draw out personal strengths, career aspirations and actionable next steps.
• Engage in Mortal Fools CONNECT training, focusing on developing presentation skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, and resilience; all designed to move individuals closer to workplace readiness.
• Explore attributes of creative youth leadership and empowerment.
• Achieve an Arts Award Bronze qualification – a recognised and confidence-boosting qualification, accredited by Trinity College London.
• Devise creative content with professional creatives.
• Learn about working in the creative industries by working with artists, theatre makers, production managers, practitioners & an animator!
• Have wrap-around support from Mortal Fools practitioners pre and post-programme.
• Be referred onto other employability programmes (led by the interests and needs of participants) and supported to engage with further opportunities. 

A young person gaining their Discover Arts Award and presenting a project at NCEA Dukes Secondary School. Photo Credit Von Fox

Upcoming Future Ready Programme

​
​We have three upcoming Future Ready Programmes.

Due to funding these programmes are only suitable for young people aged 16-30 years old who are economically inactive and/or socially isolated.

Each intervention is designed to provide an intensive targeted intervention before a participant may go on to engage with more traditional employability support or another intervention.

CONNECT: Future Ready is ideal for:
​

• Young people with intersectional needs
• Neurodivergent young people
• Young people who have been previously homeschooled / non-school attenders
• Young people who would benefit from a more supportive work experience/workplace readiness programme.
• Young people that would benefit from engaging in creativity and creative thinking
• Young people struggling with their mental health and feeling disempowered
• Young people at the beginning of their employability journey
• Young people experiencing barriers on their employability journey
• Young people who need a confidence boost
• Young people interested in the creative industries
• Young people that would benefit from a needs-focused, supportive environment
  ​

Young people can refer themselves directly onto the programme or can be referred by a link worker, support worker, teacher or trusted adult in their lives. 

A young person presenting a presentation as part of the work for their Gold Arts Award. Photo Credit: Von Fox

CONNECT Future Ready #1 at YMCA Northumberland, Ashington

​​

• ​Deadline for referrals/sign-ups: 29th September, 5 pm
• Taster session at YMCA Northumberland: 2nd October 1-3pm
  
  

This session will provide an opportunity for young people to meet Mortal Fools, engage in some fun creative and confidence-boosting activities and sign registration paperwork.
​

• Weeklong intervention at YMCA Northumberland: Monday 7th October – Friday 11th October (full days)
• Reunion/Celebration session:  23rd October 2-4pm
  
  

This session will bring participants back together to think about next steps, referrals onto other programmes and to check in.

​Beyond the intervention – participants may be supported through 1-2-1 sessions, further workshops and resources, invitations to Mortal Fools events and performances and other tailored support appropriate to each individual.

Click here to register yourself or refer a young person for Future Ready Week #1

To download the overview flyer to use to sign post a young person to this intervention – click here

To have an informal chat before signing up/referring a young person, email: [email protected]

A group of young people writing together as part of our Ensemble Young Company youth theatre group. Photo Credit: Von Fox

CONNECT Future Ready #2 at YMCA Northumberland, Ashington

​We are looking for a setting to run this intervention in collaboration with for a cohort of young people. It would count as a work experience/workplace readiness week.
​
Intervention week (week is set due to Mortal Fools practitioner availability and funding requirements) – Monday 25th November – Friday 29th November. (full days)

To express an interest in having this week for your young people, email: [email protected]

---

CONNECT Future Ready #3 at YMCA Northumberland, Ashington

We are looking for a setting to run this intervention in collaboration with for a cohort of young people. It would count as a work experience/workplace readiness week.

Intervention week (week is set due to Mortal Fools practitioner availability and funding requirements) – Monday 13th January – Friday 17th January. (full days)
​
To express an interest in having this week for your young people, email: [email protected]

Young person engaging in a creative writing exercise exploring perceptions of adults, for an Ensemble Young Company youth theatre session. Photo Credit: Von Fox

The Future of Future Ready

​Whilst this is currently a pilot project commissioned by North East Combined Authority funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Northumberland, we are hopeful that this will become part of Mortal Fools young people’s programmes.

This current pilot project ends on 1st March 2025.

We are open to connecting with organisations, youth settings and funders, who may be interested in commissioning young people’s employability interventions across 2025-2027.  We are open to exploring one day interventions, weeklong interventions and various other models.

To chat and connect, email [email protected]