Cumbria Youth Alliance

10/06/2026

This week, we've welcomed Jess for work experience, and we thought the best way to introduce her was to let her do the talking.
We asked Jess to share her favourite memory from completing her Duke of Edinburgh Award, and some advice for anyone currently doing it (or thinking about it).
Here's what Jess had to say. 👇

05/06/2026

Huge thanks to The Centre for Social Justice for inviting our CEO Becky to The Big Listen: Tackling the NEET Crisis at Fenwick's in Newcastle.

There were many inspiring people and charities in the room.

Lawrence Dallaglio said: "No-one is born bad, young people need a support system, to build trust and consistency," adding that "falling out of education is currently a pipeline to prison" and "young people don't buy into systems, they buy into people."

Fraser Nelson: "Good people are stuck in a bad system with layers of complexity."

In our most recent survey of young people in Cumbria, anxiety and confidence came up time and time again as barriers to accessing services, the trust has been lost. Almost 50% of young people named mental health as their top challenge, 65% of parents said the same. It's no surprise NEET numbers are rising following years of cuts to the services quietly doing prevention work.

The Milburn report, published last week, makes it impossible to look away and we all need to be having these conversations. Born in Whitehaven, Alan Milburn found over a million young people are currently NEET, the highest in 12 years. NEET young people with a disability has more than doubled since 2013, and 84% say they want to work. This is not a generation that has given up, its a generation that has been let down by a system that was never built for them.

We know what happens when the right support is in place, so many amazing organisations have built systems, tools and projects that work. Our Forging Futures programme saw 58% of young people move into sustained employment, double the national average. That was the result of relational-based work, trusted key workers who showed up consistently and used CYA's ME Tool to understand what is actually going on for a young person, not what we think is going on. To quote Lawrence "Young people don't buy into systems, they buy into people" — and our ME Tool is designed specifically for that 1-2-1 relationship, tracking progress across 10 social and emotional domains in a way a referral form never could. A young person who hasn't eaten. Someone who can't get on a bus. ADHD nobody has spotted yet. The ME Tool tracks it all, stage by stage, from engagement through to independent sustainability. 81% of young people who used it last year saw measurable improvement across their domains.

Attracting interest from employers and educational institutions alike, the ME Tool will soon be available in a digital format. To find out how it can support your work with children and young people, contact [email protected] for more information.

At CYA, Young People are at the heart of everything we do, they don't need to know what programs or funding is supporting them, they just need to know they have a trusted person throughout their journey, thats what makes the difference.

03/06/2026

A huge thank you to Balfour Beatty for their generous £15,000 donation to the Enrichment Fund.
The Enrichment Fund supports care-experienced young people in Cumberland aged 16 and above, helping to cover the costs of things that genuinely matter to them. From gym memberships and professional courses to creative pursuits and cultural experiences, it opens doors across health and wellbeing, education and training, employment support, and engagement in arts and culture.

Donations like this one mean more young people can access opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. We're so grateful for Balfour Beatty’s support.

Want to find out more about the Enrichment Fund?
https://loom.ly/N_f_lp4

02/06/2026

Yesterday, year 10s on our Bridging Horizons project spent the day getting hands-on with real Civil Engineering skills. In hi-vis jackets, they took part in four activities that mirror how companies train new staff, getting a genuine feel for what a career in the sector looks like.

The day gave young people the chance to explore different career pathways, see what life at Morgan Sindall Infrastructure involves, and hear from Lakes College about how T-Levels can be a strong alternative to A-Levels.

A huge thank you to Flannery Plant Hire, Arco: Experts In Safety, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, Morgan Sindall Construction, GAP Group Careers, Sir Robert McAlpine, and Lakes College for making it happen.

22/05/2026

Cumbria Youth Alliance is honoured to attend the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Celebration at Buckingham Palace, as they mark 70 years of empowering young people.
Since 2015, we've supported the completion of 542 awards, both directly and through our partner organisations across the county. From expedition planning to personalised guidance, we're here to make sure no young person in Cumbria misses out because they lack the right support.
Cumbria Youth Alliance is honoured to attend the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Celebration at Buckingham Palace, as they mark 70 years of empowering young people.
Since 2015, we've supported the completion of 542 awards, both directly and through our partner organisations across the county. From expedition planning to personalised guidance, we're here to make sure no young person in Cumbria misses out because they lack the right support.
Being at the Palace was a brilliant reminder of what that work leads to: young people recognised for their dedication, resilience and commitment. That journey starts right here in Cumbria, and we're proud to be part of it.
If you're working towards your DofE or need help finishing, find out how we can support you 👉 https://loom.ly/VPRuwgg

21/05/2026

Deadline reminder: the NYA's National Youth Sector Census closes on the 31st May.
For organisations working with young people, this is your chance to ensure your work is counted. The Census data feeds directly into national funding and policy decisions, so if youth services aren't visible in the data, they risk being overlooked.
It’ll take 15 minutes, complete for your organisation👇
https://loom.ly/ZzqG7y4

The National Youth Sector Census collates data regarding the state of youth work in England which help us inform policy and funding decisions. Everyone who works in the youth sector needs to complete the Census to help us make a case for more investment in youth work services

07/05/2026

Closing this Sunday (10th May) at 5PM

Want to gain a recognised youth work qualification?

Places are now open for our Level 2 Youth Work Award and Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work, delivered online in partnership with Youth Focus North West.

The training is fully funded through Better Tomorrows, a project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund in partnership with Cumbria Community Foundation. It's open to anyone delivering face-to-face youth work in Cumberland or Westmorland and Furness.

Applications close: Sunday 10 May at 5pm.

Apply here: https://loom.ly/bWK94_I

06/05/2026

Following feedback from youth workers, we asked Anti Racist Cumbria to create this bespoke training to help youth spaces across Cumbria understand racism, how it affects young people and how to start courageous conversations.

This half-day session on 14th May at Brathay starts by looking at racism in detail in its different forms, with a focus on conversation that allows plenty of space for dialogue and personal learning. You'll also take part in practical sessions covering microaggressions, the difference between EDI and anti-racism, and how to foster safe spaces of belonging for Black and Brown young people.

Discounts available for Better Tomorrows trained youth workers and those youth work staff in the Westmorland and Furness area.

Contact [email protected] for the discount code.
Book your spot now: https://loom.ly/m1hMprc

05/05/2026

Badminton was one of the new things Bryany wanted to try.
A traumatic experience in 2022 left her housebound for nearly three years. When she joined our Forging Futures project, even getting out of the house was a struggle.
Her Youth Project Worker Izzie started by meeting her online. Then a ten-minute chat near home. Then short walks and brief café visits, all at Bryany's pace.
Since then, she's completed a Mental Health First Aid course, started volunteering, and landed a job with Cumbria CVS. She's now planning to become a qualified youth worker.
Bryany describes her time with Cumbria Youth Alliance in two words: "Life changing."
Read Bryany’s story 👉 https://loom.ly/ayHBFVY

28/04/2026

Want to gain a recognised youth work qualification?

Places are now open for our Level 2 Youth Work Award and Level 3 Certificate in Youth Work, delivered online in partnership with Youth Focus North West.

The training is fully funded through Better Tomorrows, a project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund in partnership with Cumbria Community Foundation. It's open to anyone delivering face-to-face youth work in Cumberland or Westmorland and Furness.

Applications close: Sunday 10 May at 5pm.

Apply here: https://loom.ly/bWK94_I