Future Ready provides intensive and intentional employability enhancing interventions for young people aged 14-30 years old. Through our intervention models we use creative practice and social sciences to unlock young people’s potential.
Our adaptable interventions draw out elements of our CONNECT professional and personal development training, practice from our creative interventions in school and youth settings and learning from previous young people’s employability projects and interventions.
Our adaptable interventions draw out elements of our CONNECT professional and personal development training, practice from our creative interventions in school and youth settings and learning from previous young people’s employability projects and interventions.
“Young people push themselves out of their comfort zones and participate in a variety of activities to explore leadership, communication, collaboration, creative-thinking, problem-solving and a variety of other skills which are important within today's workforce.”
– Future Ready Practitioner
Future Ready effectively targets and supports young people who:
- Have intersectional needs
- Are socially isolated
- Are/identify as neurodivergent young people
- Have been previously homeschooled / non-school attenders
- Would benefit from a more supportive work experience/workplace readiness programme
- Would benefit from engaging in creative activities and thinking
- Are struggling with their mental health and feeling disempowered
- Are at the beginning of their employability journey
- Experience barriers on their employability journey
- Need a confidence boost
- Are interested in the creative industries / being more creative
- Would benefit from a needs-focused, supportive environment
“For the first time in years, she came home with a big smile on her face. She was really anxious before she got there but managed it really well. After a terrible few years, this has given us hope. She felt listened to and really liked meeting new people. She can't wait to do more with Mortal Fools."
– carer of Future Ready Participant
Future Ready currently exists as a pilot project commissioned by the North East Combined Authority funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Northumberland. However, we are hopeful that it will become part of Mortal Fools young people’s programmes and are in the process of fundraising to make that happen.
We are open to connecting with organisations, youth settings and funders, who may be interested in commissioning young people’s employability interventions and day long sessions across 2025-2027.
To chat and connect email [email protected]
We are open to connecting with organisations, youth settings and funders, who may be interested in commissioning young people’s employability interventions and day long sessions across 2025-2027.
To chat and connect email [email protected]
Future Ready - The Pilot
Future Ready was 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.
This current pilot project ends on 1st April 2025.
This current pilot project ends on 1st April 2025.
“Mortal Fools offers young people in Northumberland the opportunity to explore their creative skills, share ideas with their peers, and develop their understanding of employer expectations and skills while enhancing their knowledge about how to successfully transition into work. For those uncertain of what may come next, or where to start, to be offered a safe space with quality support to broaden their horizons is invaluable. And for the young people who have engaged in their Future Ready employability programme, the experience has been highly impactful.”
- Vicki Clarke, Employment Partnership Coordinator, Northumberland County Council
Across 5 interventions our Future Ready participants:
- Experienced person centric support from Mortal Fools practitioners in response to individual needs.
- Took part in high quality employability interventions geared to their needs, wants and career interests.
- Found their voice and felt empowered in their employability journey.
- Increased their personal impact and boosted their confidence.
- Developed team working skills and met like-minded young people.
- Engaged in creative practical activities designed to explore and draw out personal strengths, career aspirations and actionable next steps.
- Engaged in Mortal Fools CONNECT training, focusing on developing presentation skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, and resilience; all designed to move young people closer to workplace readiness.
- Explored attributes of creative youth leadership and empowerment.
- Worked towards Arts Award Bronze qualification – a recognised and confidence-boosting qualification, accredited by Trinity College London.
- Devised creative content with professional creatives.
- Learned about working in the creative industries by working with artists, theatre makers, production managers, practitioners & an animator!
- Benefitted from wrap-around support from Mortal Fools practitioners pre- and post-programme.
- Were referred onto other employability programmes (led by the interests and needs of participants) and supported to engage with further opportunities.
“Mortal Fools treat each and every young person as an individual and they really take the time to listen to them. Many of my students felt out of their comfort zone, but with the support of your wonderful staff they really came out of their shell and built their confidence. A great week was had by all!”
- Ziarlotte Gray-Johnson, Skills Development Coach (Work Placements), Northumberland College
Young people were referred directly onto the programme by a link worker, support worker, teacher or trusted adult in their lives.
Previous Programmes
During our Future Ready programmes across 2024-2025, some of the young people worked towards achieving an Arts Award and co-created an animation with professional animator Lily Kroese that expressed something they wanted to say to the world about employability.
CONNECT Future Ready #1 at YMCA Northumberland, Ashington - October 2024
We had a fantastic week where participants developed their career skills, boosted their confidence and engaged in fun and empowering creative activities to support them on their employability journey.
The group created the fantastic video below exploring their strengths and insecurities, and how organisations can support young people entering the workforce to thrive!
We had a fantastic week where participants developed their career skills, boosted their confidence and engaged in fun and empowering creative activities to support them on their employability journey.
The group created the fantastic video below exploring their strengths and insecurities, and how organisations can support young people entering the workforce to thrive!
CONNECT Future Ready #2 at YMCA Northumberland, Ashington – November 2024
Finding a job, can feel like tackling the final boss in a game you’re barely levelled up for. But like with any game, you can master it with practice! That’s what our Future Ready group #2 realised during their time spent taking part in a weeklong young people’s employability intervention.
As this group was interested in gaming, they found it helpful to explore getting a job and progressing in your career, like a challenging computer game. They reimagined all of the seemingly impossible steps young people often face to get their first job as a game, and considered how they might mirror their in-game capabilities (creativity, persistence, strategic thinking, managing failure, responsiveness etc) in the world of work!
Finding a job, can feel like tackling the final boss in a game you’re barely levelled up for. But like with any game, you can master it with practice! That’s what our Future Ready group #2 realised during their time spent taking part in a weeklong young people’s employability intervention.
As this group was interested in gaming, they found it helpful to explore getting a job and progressing in your career, like a challenging computer game. They reimagined all of the seemingly impossible steps young people often face to get their first job as a game, and considered how they might mirror their in-game capabilities (creativity, persistence, strategic thinking, managing failure, responsiveness etc) in the world of work!
CONNECT: Future Ready #3 at YMCA in Ashington - January 2025
We challenged our Future Ready cohort #3 to communicate creatively why employers should employ young people in the workplace.
Our cohort of Northumberland College students, ESOL students and Northumberland young people worked with our Mortal Fools practitioners and professional animator Lily Mae Kroese to encapsulate their fresh, interesting insights via this persuasive animation.
By giving young people, a chance in the workplace, organisations are investing in the future and fostering a diverse and dynamic workforce.
Our cohort of Northumberland College students, ESOL students and Northumberland young people worked with our Mortal Fools practitioners and professional animator Lily Mae Kroese to encapsulate their fresh, interesting insights via this persuasive animation.
By giving young people, a chance in the workplace, organisations are investing in the future and fostering a diverse and dynamic workforce.
Next steps…
Our Future Ready programme is commissionable by schools, youth settings, funders and North East Local Authorities.
Team Mortal Fools are also in the process of fundraising so we can continue our Northumberland place based employability work.
To chat and connect, email [email protected]
Our Future Ready programme is commissionable by schools, youth settings, funders and North East Local Authorities.
Team Mortal Fools are also in the process of fundraising so we can continue our Northumberland place based employability work.
To chat and connect, email [email protected]
