Suffolk Futures Fund
As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations in 2025, we created a new fund, Suffolk Futures, to support organisations who work with 16-25 year olds, helping to address issues with mental health, education, housing and employment.
This group are facing some new and very specific challenges which the generations before them were lucky enough to avoid. Alongside increasing difficulties with mental health which have been well-documented in the media, they also face barriers to reaching their potential in relation to housing, employment, skills and training.
We launched the fund with an ambition to raise £200,000, which we committed to match-fund by 50% from a legacy gift. Thanks to the generosity of the Police & Crime Commissioner’s office, Suffolk County Council, The Festival of Suffolk and many individuals, we surpassed this target, creating a £340,000 fund.
The young people of today will have a significant impact on the future of our county, so investing in them now will leave a lasting and positive legacy for Suffolk.
Young people are at the heart of our community in Suffolk and, one day, will be at the head.
‘We are incredibly grateful for the Suffolk Future Fund. Support like this is truly life-changing for our young people. — it will fund five placements at The Nest each year for the next three years, reaching 15 young people in total. The Nest will give vital mental health support in a safe and nurturing environment, meaning a brighter future for young lives across Suffolk.
I am pleased to be one of the main contributors to this Suffolk Futures Fund. The initial grant from my office of £80k has been match-funded which, along with the generous philanthropic donations, has grown the fund to over £300k. This is great news for young people in Suffolk, and excellent value for the taxpayer.
The Suffolk Futures Fund will make a significant difference to many young people across the county, many of whom have had a lousy deal in life. This project has the potential to be life-changing to those benefitting from it and I am delighted for the Office of the PCC to play its part.
Grants Awarded
We are delighted to announce that the Suffolk Futures panel has awarded a total of £340,000 to 11 organisations.
Please see full list below.
“Receiving the Suffolk Futures grant has been incredible for us, it means we will not only be able to continue supporting young girls with their creative activism, but provide some additional support and workshops that will offer guidance around key transition moments. We are very thankful for this funding and excited for the young people that will benefit from it.”
Grants awarded
Abbeycroft Leisure, Bury St Edmunds, Forest Heath – Leisure, Recreation, and Business Training Programme for 16–24-year-olds in Suffolk who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET), to support their transition into work.
EPIC Dad, West Suffolk (including Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Brandon, Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds) – EPIC Dad Young Fathers Project.
For Children & Young People, Ipswich – Supporting Positive Wellbeing for Children and Young People.
Future Female Society, Ipswich – A three year programme offering weekly sessions and seasonal Future Pathways workshops specifically for 16-25 year olds [images above].
Haverhill Community Trust, Haverhill – BOOST on Track designed to equip young people with the tools, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive in education, employment, and life.
Inspire Suffolk, Ipswich, Lowestoft, Hadleigh – Inspire Youth Services providing group work, mentoring, detached youth work and inclusive, safe spaces for young people.
Level Two Youth Project, Felixstowe and surrounding villages – Post 16 Opportunities in Felixstowe including Young Adults Sessions, LGBTQ+ Peer Support Sessions and one to one mentoring for young people.
Lofty Heights, Ipswich – Foundations for the Future Construction Course.
Murrayside Community Development, Ipswich – Education and skills development for young people who are disengaged from mainstream education.
Suffolk Refugee Support, Suffolk-wide – Structured work experience placements for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASCs) and care leavers in Suffolk.
The Nest Farms, Ipswich, Lowestoft, Leiston and Felixstowe – Supporting vulnerable young people in Suffolk to build resilience, emotional well-being and practical skills through structured, therapeutic farm-based learning [images above].
Themes identified from the application process
- Employment, skills and NEET transitions – initiatives focused on helping young people move into work, further education or training.
- Mental health, wellbeing and trauma – projects offering counselling, structured mental health support, trauma-informed services and safeguarding, often closely linked with employability.
- Youth work, mentoring and support navigation – programmes providing trusted relationships, continuity of support and non-clinical interventions that create the conditions for young people to thrive.