Northamptonshire Community Foundation: Community Hero of the Week
The Souster Youth Trust is 10 years old this year. Based in Thrapston, the charity works closely with local schools, churches and community organisations to support the needs of young people in Northamptonshire.
At the end of 2024, the trust was awarded a grant from Northamptonshire Community Foundation’s Northamptonshire Young People’s Fund, to enable the Grow project.
The Grow project is a 6 - 8-week course of small-group therapeutic sessions designed by the Souster Youth Trust’s Psychological Health Lead and led by two members of the youth team. Each session is a blend of discussion, group activities, and evidence-based exercises, all aimed at supporting wellbeing.
Beneficiaries of the project are identified and referred by local schools, and include students experiencing mental health or behavioural problems, and/or those who may be living in difficult situations at home.
The Northamptonshire Young People’s Fund was established by Northamptonshire Community Foundation last year. The foundation is the county’s leading independent grant-making charity, providing much-needed and often life-changing grants to some of Northamptonshire’s most in-need residents. During the 2023/24 financial year, the foundation achieved their biggest grant-making year yet, awarding more than £2.9 million.