Our impact
We’ve been running the Spear Programme for more than seven years, coaching young people to break down barriers and thrive in work and life.
We measure the impact of everything we do and are constantly evolving. The result is that Spear has been rated independently as one of the most effective programmes of its kind.
And with around 1 in 8 young people out of work and education, and a rise in mental health challenges, our impact has never been more important.
Impact report 2023-24 (pdf)
DownloadThe impact of the Spear Programme
Since the programme began in London in 2004, the Spear Programme has impacted the lives of more than 11,000 16-24 year olds. Spear Brighton was launched in September 2018 and is the first Spear Programme outside of London. The following statistics are for the Spear programme across the UK.
Barriers we measure
In order to ensure we work with those young people who most need our help, we measure barriers to employment faced by those enrolling on the Spear Programme. These include:
- Receiving free school meals in year 11, which signifies a household with a very low income
- Parents/guardians claiming benefits
- Living in care at some point
- Less than 5 GCSEs in year 11
- Have a criminal record
We are really proud that young people are able to overcome these barriers and that over 70% of those who complete the programme get into work or education, and remain there a year later.