Twenty Organisations Receive Funding to Support Young People Through Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Programme

Twenty Organisations Receive Funding to Support Young People Through Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Programme

Twenty organisations across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been awarded grant funding as part of the region’s Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Programme—backing innovative frontline services that will help more 18–21-year-olds access education, training, apprenticeships, and employment.

The funding forms part of a £1.5 million investment from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to test new, joined-up approaches that ensure no young person is left without opportunity. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is one of just eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas in England.

The grants will boost local capacity to support young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), strengthening partnerships, reaching underserved communities, and providing tailored, practical help to those facing the greatest barriers.

Organisations awarded funding include:

ARU Peterborough – delivering a four-week campus-based skills and confidence-building programme for NEET young people, combining digital literacy, industry visits, and a group project to prepare participants for work, apprenticeships, or further study.

Cambridge United Foundation – running The Training Ground, a 12-week mentoring programme offering personalised support, physical activity, mental health development, and work experience to help young people overcome disadvantage and move closer to employment.

Cambridge Regional College – offering hands-on construction experiences and employer-led pathways designed to inspire young people, build aspiration, and open routes into skills training, education, or entrepreneurship.

Constructed Pathways – delivering practical bricklaying and site skills taster sessions at Waterbeach Barracks, helping young people gain confidence and explore clear routes into construction careers.

Living Sport – delivering a 12-week programme for care leavers offering life skills workshops, employability training, tailored work placements, and personalised progression plans to support routes into education, employment, or training.

These organisations represent just part of a wider cohort of funded partners delivering mentoring, skills bootcamps, mental health support, construction and digital training, online careers tools, employability programmes, and confidence-building activities across the region.

Mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow said: “This funding is about backing the brilliant organisations working directly with our young people, those who know their communities and understand the barriers young people face. Together, we are creating real pathways into education, training and employment, ensuring no young person is left behind.”

The Youth Guarantee aims to ensure that every 18–21-year-old has a clear, supported route into education, employment or training. The Trailblazer programme will help the CPCA and local partners prevent disengagement, streamline services, and reach young people who are most at risk of becoming long-term NEET.

Andrea Wood, Assistant Skills Director said: “Young people deserve support that meets them where they are, and this funding helps us do exactly that. The organisations we’re backing are doing life-changing work every day—helping young people build confidence, find stability, and take their next steps into education, training or work. I’m proud that we can help them reach even more of those who need it most.”

The funded organisations will begin delivering their programmes in early 2026, with progress and outcomes feeding into the national evaluation of the Youth Guarantee.