Welcome to our summer newsletter – we can hardly believe we’re half-way through 2024! It’s been another busy time for us, with lots of recognition of the need for social change.

As the dust settles from the recent general election and a new government steps into office, there is a renewed opportunity to address the pressing social and political issues that impact us all. This moment in our political landscape underscores the critical need for social transformation, particularly for those whose lives have been marked by trauma and structural inequality.

At Foundation for Change, we remain dedicated to our vision of fostering a more just and inclusive society, creating environments where everyone, regardless of their past, can flourish.

We urge the government to recognise that the current structure of support services—whether for substance use, mental health, offending, or homelessness—doesn’t go far enough. Significant investment is needed in the transitional stages for individuals leaving these services, to complete the work that has come before it. 

 As a small team, we are proud to work in these transitional stages, and know how crucial it is to see the entirety of a journey, and not just part of it, if we want to truly achieve long-term and sustainable change.

OUR DELIVERY SO FAR

We have worked with some incredible individuals and groups this year through delivery of two Psychology for Change and one Feminism for Change course. 

We’ve also delivered two of our one-day sessions for people waiting to start our longer courses, held two reunions for graduates of past courses, and hosted three community events.

The combination of support provided through our referrals, courses, reunions and community, reflects our own commitment to working holistically, and ensuring each person we work with feels seen, heard and part of, from the moment they reach out. 

We’re always amazed by the courage, commitment and transformation shown by trainees during their time with us, yet also know the benefits of practicing what’s been learnt, continues for graduates long after they complete our courses.

MEASURING OUR IMPACT

Our reunions are scheduled nine months after each course, to reunite graduates, encourage new friendships, and help us measure the long-term impact of our work.

This year so far, we’ve received an impressive response rate of 82% to our long-term impact measures and are particularly proud of the outcomes we’ve seen.

We’ll be continuing to strengthen how we demonstrate and communicate our impact during the rest of 2024.

OUR FFC COMMUNITY

In June we held our third community event of the year, which included a nourishing history walk around central London, led by our very own Heather.

Using maps very generously donated to us by Blue Crow Media, we wanted to underline the importance we place on learning about history – of making sense of what has come before to better navigate the future – a process that is embedded and embodied all we do.

 Our FfC community is open to graduates of our courses and is intended both to bring people together and to encourage the continuation of people bringing their learning to life. 

Building our community in this way connects to the broader vision of our work: empowering people to be a part of society rather than excluded from it.

 It’s also another way that we aim to ensure our impact is long-lasting, and we’ve been delighted to see how people are engaging with it, and importantly, each other.

GRADUATES VOICE

No one quite captures the impact of our work, in the way that our graduates do. Hear more about what we do and how we do it, from Nas, one of our graduates in 2022.

SUPPORT US

The demand for our Feminism and Psychology for Change courses are higher than ever, with referrals currently exceeding our course capacity by 50%.

 We rely on grants and donations to continue our crucial work. Your support, through one-off donations or standing orders, mean the world to us and are vital in helping us reach more people.

 If you can, please consider donating to support us in delivering our unique approach with people in recovery.