What am I good at?
How do I cope when things don’t go to plan?
How do I ask for what I need?
And what might I want my future to look like?
These can feel like big questions, especially when you’re still working out who you are. Many young people tell us the biggest barriers they face are confidence, anxiety, communication and believing they have something valuable to offer
That is why we have created a new initiative Future Me, a new series of relaxed, thought provoking and practical sessions designed to help young people, aged 14 – 25, discover more about themselves, recognise what they have to offer and feel more confident about whatever comes next.
We’re incredibly grateful to the South Gloucestershire Learning Difficulties Development Fund (LDDF) for funding Future Me and helping us turn the idea into a reality. Their support means we can give more young people the time, space and opportunities to discover their strengths, build confidence, try new things and begin exploring what their future might look like.
Future Me isn’t about expecting young people to have their future mapped out. In fact, “I don’t know yet” is absolutely fine! Instead, we want to give young people opportunities to explore their strengths, recognise what they already have to offer, develop useful skills and start thinking about what might work for them in the future. We simply want a young person to leave thinking “I’ve never thought about that before.” Those thoughts can start conversations at home, lead to new experiences and help young people gradually discover what they want and, equally importantly, what they don’t want.
We are starting with, Who am I? Exploring and discovering our strengths, interests, values and what makes us, us.
Other sessions will include:
- Resilience – understanding what happens when things get difficult, coping with setbacks and finding strategies that work for you.
- Finding My Voice – communication, self-advocacy and feeling more confident expressing what you think, want and need.
- Managing Setbacks, Conflict and Change – practical ways to approach things when they don’t go quite as planned.
Future Me also sets the young people, small challenges along the way, nothing serious – perhaps trying something new, practising asking for help, doing something independently or taking a small step towards something they’d like to achieve.
Sessions will be practical, accessible and supportive, with young people encouraged to take part in the way that works best for them. We’ll also be trialing online Future Me sessions so young people can join in the comfort of their own home.
There’s no single route and no expectation to have all the answers. Future Me is about discovering your strengths, finding what works for you and taking your next step.
Ready to start your Future Me journey? Take a look at our upcoming Future Me sessions and book your place now!
