This Post Needs No Introduction

Need I say more?

Love from A Way Out x

In the beginning...

You may have noticed that over the last couple of weeks we've been posting on YouTube an interview I did with Jessie, finding out a bit more about how A Way Out started and where is it going in the future. And you can now watch all three parts of the video right here:

Jessie talks her inspiration to found A Way Out and shares some of the stories that most impacted her decision.

So what happened next? How did the dream become a reality? How has it changed over the years?

And what's coming next?! A Way Out has an exciting future. Listen in to some of Jessie's dreams...

We don't think much more needs to be said here! Have a watch, get inspired and as always let us know what you think!

Love from A Way Out x

Introducing Daniel...

Daniel represents the hundreds of boys and young men that we work with every year. Each one is individual and struggles with different problems from low self-esteem and social exclusion to knife crime and drug abuse.

Before our CEO Jessie began A Way Out, she met a ten-year-old boy who lived on a local estate and who was addicted to methadone. She was amazed that a boy so young would be so trapped by drug abuse but sadly, his story doesn't stand alone. Many of the lads we work with live on estates where drug dealing is normal and drinking alcohol under age is never questioned.

Through our outreach work on estates and in schools we are seeing so many boys come to realise how dangerous their lifestyles can be. They have found out that there is an alternative and through group sessions and one-to-one counselling they have changed the direction of their lives. Some have become volunteers and one lad is now a youth worker for A Way Out helping others to find a new direction.

Daniel represents all these boys at whatever stage they are at.

A Way Out has recently joined Local Giving and for the month of March they are offering match funding to every gift made. This means that once you add Gift Aid (if you are a tax payer) then:

A gift of £6 becomes £13.50

A gift of £13 becomes £29.25

A gift of £19 becomes £42.75!

Match Funding is available for the whole of March in theory but only as long as the money is there. So it could run out any time.

***The match funding money has now run out. Thank you to everyone who has given to A Way Out. You can still make a huge difference by making a donation at https://localgiving.com/charity/awayout.***

Please please consider giving something to support the work of A Way Out whether that is a £1 or  £100. Every gift is so important and will make a real difference to boys like Daniel.

Love from A Way Out x

p.s. have been filming an interview with Jessie today, will be letting you know as soon as it is live on the website!

For Those Who Like Figures!

Yesterday I was reading our Annual Report 2011 from last October and I was overwhelmed again by some of the amazing work that is being carried out in Teesside by A Way Out. I have worked at this inspiring place for ten months now but I am regularly astounded by stories and projects that I hear about. For example the amazing Heart To Change project that invests so much time and support into young women who are really committed to turning their lives around.

These are some of the statistics which illustrate what was achieved last year. Although this information is a few months old, since October we have only gone on to expand our work to reach more people and make more significant changes in lives so we're confident that these figures will only be more encouraging this time next year.

We hope that this is inspiring to you too! For other news stories from A Way Out visit http://www.awayout.co.uk/whats-new/

Love from A Way Out x