North West

In Greater Manchester, we partner with schools in communities across Wigan and Salford.

Connecting Greater Manchester

Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley in Wigan and Little Hulton in Salford are unique communities, with strong, distinct identities. But fragmented public services make it difficult for children and young people to access vital support and opportunities.

We spent two years listening to local groups to understand how these barriers affect children and young people in the area. In 2024, we launched our Impact Programme in Wigan, where we currently support 480 children across 13 schools. We'll begin working in Salford in September 2026.

Schools we work with

Our impact in the North West

58%

of persistently absent children improved, with a third no longer persistently absent.

65%

of children improved their emotional wellbeing.

64%

of children improved their peer relationships.

Being there for Wigan's young people

One student at a Wigan secondary school was identified as possibly benefitting from the programme when her poor attendance was a recurring issue in Year 7. While hardworking and polite, she did not enjoy attending school and had anxieties around some lesson topics.

The student's Link Worker built a relationship to ensure that they were comfortable sharing concerns and viewed them as a genuinely trusted adult that was able to listen and support.

Through repeated engagement sessions and external opportunities, they have since improved their attendance and are present in more school lessons and activities.

Read Stories of Success