North East charities receive £47,000 to empower young people
Four youth-focused charities across the North East have been awarded more than £47,000 from Cheshire Community Foundation through EMR’s Building Brighter Futures Fund.
The fund, created by EMR, which operates seven recycling facilities in the North East, is managed in partnership with Cheshire Community Foundation and is dedicated to giving young people the support and opportunities they need to thrive.
This year, £47,297 has been awarded to four organisations — MyBigCareer, Blue Watch Youth Centre, The Parker Trust, and Rubies. Their programmes will tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing young people in Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Teesside. These challenges include low employability and poor mental health to the effects of poverty, and exclusion from education.
The projects being supported
Middlesbrough – MyBigCareer
Award: £5,000
MyBigCareer will deliver its Working World programme, supporting 350 young people aged 11–18 living within five miles of EMR’s Middlesbrough yard. Combining interactive classroom sessions, one-to-one coaching and real-world employer engagement, the initiative will boost employability and career readiness, helping to break cycles of disadvantage and open doors to meaningful futures.
Sunderland – Blue Watch Youth Centre
Award: £9,972
Blue Watch Youth Centre’s Next Steps project will support disadvantaged young people aged 11–19 (up to 25 with additional needs) through volunteering, apprenticeships, work experience and social action. Targeting those facing barriers such as having to care for relatives, Special educational needs and disability (SEND) or school exclusion, the programme will help participants build networks, gain skills and experience meaningful personal growth.
Sunderland – The Parker Trust
Award: £19,825
The Parker Trust will deliver a tailored employability and wellbeing programme for disadvantaged young people aged 14–18. Through life skills workshops, job application support, volunteering placements and wellbeing sessions, the initiative will support those facing challenges such as exclusion, exposure to crime and homelessness. Delivered by a dedicated Educational and Training Support Worker, the project aims to build resilience, aspirations and confidence.
Teesside – Rubies
Award: £12,500
Rubies will expand its self-esteem and empowerment programmes for girls aged 10–16 across Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland. Focused on self-esteem, resilience and personal safety, the sessions are delivered in schools, helping girls navigate adolescence with confidence.
The Building Brighter Futures Fund
The Building Brighter Futures Fund was launched in 2023 to create lasting impact in the communities where EMR operates. Since then, it has distributed more than £600,000 in grants nationwide. This year’s North East awards form part of the fund’s £200,000 national investment in youth-focused initiatives for 2025.
Ian Sheppard, Managing Director at EMR, said:
“Through our Building Brighter Futures Fund, we’re proud to support these transformative projects that work tirelessly to help disadvantaged young people across the North East fulfil their potential. Whether it’s through work experience, mental health support or practical skills development, these programmes will make a real and lasting difference in our communities.”
Mel Sproston, CEO of Cheshire Community Foundation, added:
“Collaborating with EMR on the Building Brighter Futures Fund is a privilege. The scale and impact of this year’s awarded projects demonstrate the fund’s strength and purpose — creating genuine pathways for young people across the region to grow, thrive and succeed.”
Building Brighter Futures is just one way in which EMR is helping communities tackle some of their toughest challenges. From helping ex-offenders, care leavers and veterans build vital skills and get back into work to educating young people through four Schools Programmes aimed at inspiring the sustainable innovators of the future, EMR believes that everyone deserves every chance to build a better, fairer life for themselves.