Access to equipment
Devices, software and a suitable space to practise.
For funders & partners
Help turn digital access
into opportunity.
We are seeking £50,000–£60,000 for a focused first phase of digital skills training and mentoring for approximately 30 adults with convictions, including people leaving prison. This initial cohort will help us test delivery before seeking funding for further groups.
Supportive teaching
Practical digital skills taught at a manageable pace.
Personal mentoring
Encouragement and support around individual goals.
Meaningful progress
Skills for everyday life, learning and work.
A practical investment in inclusion.
The pilot will combine beginner-friendly digital skills, recognised learning, one-to-one mentoring, safeguarding and active engagement support. Highfield Qualifications is our preferred awarding organisation; final qualifications and delivery arrangements will be confirmed before enrolment.
Funding will support part-time or sessional teaching, mentoring, programme coordination and qualified safeguarding advice, alongside shared venues, equipment, qualifications, learner travel and evaluation.
For our initial cohort of adults with convictions, repeated contact and practical encouragement will be part of the programme. Veterans remain part of our wider mission and may be supported through a later funded cohort.
Discuss a partnership ↗Phase 1 funding priority£50,000–£60,000
Our working budget is £55,000 for approximately 30 participants. Training will be free of charge to learners, funded through grants and donations.
Proposed Phase 1 timetable: 12 months for approximately 30 participants in total. Months 1–6 cover recruitment, initial assessment, small-group digital skills training and mentoring. Months 7–12 cover lighter-touch mentoring, progression support, follow-up and evaluation. This is one first-year cohort, not 30 new participants every six months. Dates and individual course lengths will be confirmed once funding and delivery arrangements are agreed.
Phase 1 budget breakdown
| Item | Budget |
|---|---|
| Digital-skills teaching, preparation and assessment | £14,000 |
| Mentoring, outreach and re-engagement | £10,000 |
| Programme coordination, administration and reporting | £7,500 |
| Qualified safeguarding advice and staff training | £3,000 |
| Shared venue hire, utilities and connectivity | £4,000 |
| Laptops, software and learning equipment | £5,000 |
| Qualification registration and certification | £2,500 |
| Learner travel and practical participation support | £3,500 |
| Insurance, accountancy and governance | £2,000 |
| Evaluation and progression follow-up | £1,500 |
| Contingency | £2,000 |
| Total working budget | £55,000 |
Approximately £1,833 per participant at the £55,000 midpoint. This budget covers the proposed 12-month first phase, with teaching concentrated in months 1–6 and lighter-touch support in months 7–12. The £50,000–£60,000 range allows for final venue, equipment and staffing quotes. These are proposed costs, not secured funding or committed expenditure. Final hours, rates and relevant staffing on-costs will be confirmed before delivery.
Participants
Maximum initial pilot cohort.
Qualifications
Record starts, completions and recognised qualifications achieved.
Progression follow-up
Track employment, education, training and volunteering during months 7–12, following the main training period.
Confidence & engagement
Compare baseline and follow-up measures of digital confidence, participation and connection.
The pilot is designed to establish a credible evidence base. We will report referrals, enrolment, attendance, retention, qualifications, participant feedback and progression rather than presenting proposed targets as achieved results.
Why the cost per participant is higher than classroom-only training: this is a 12-month supported pilot, not a short IT course. The model includes outreach, repeated engagement, mentoring, safeguarding capacity, participant travel support, administration, venues across delivery areas, equipment, recognised learning, evaluation and progression support. The purpose is to give participants a realistic chance of staying engaged and moving forward.
Phase 1 timetable
30 participants across one year.
Months 1–6: learn and build confidence
Recruit and assess approximately 30 adults with convictions. Deliver beginner-friendly digital skills learning in small groups alongside mentoring. Individual teaching schedules and course lengths will be confirmed before enrolment.
Months 7–12: progress and follow up
Provide lighter-touch mentoring and support towards work, volunteering or further learning. Follow up participants’ progress and evaluate the pilot for funders.
Phase 2 is a separate future funding round for additional cohorts. It will be planned after reviewing Phase 1 costs, engagement and outcomes.
How delivery is resourced
A supported programme needs more than a tutor.
For this cohort, engagement, safeguarding and follow-through are part of delivery. The pilot budget therefore funds the people needed to recruit, retain, teach and support participants safely across multiple boroughs.
Programme leadership
Programme Director / Project Lead oversight covering delivery, budgets, safeguarding oversight, partnerships, staff coordination and funder accountability.
Teaching & assessment
A digital-skills instructor provides beginner-friendly teaching, preparation, learner assessment and support towards recognised learning outcomes.
Administration
Dedicated programme administration supports enrolment, attendance, communications, records, qualification administration and evidence for funders.
Engagement & mentoring
Active contact, mentoring and re-engagement are budgeted because some participants may need repeated encouragement and practical help to remain involved.
Safeguarding / social-work input
Qualified safeguarding or social-work input is available on a planned, proportionate basis for advice, escalation and complex situations rather than assuming every participant requires statutory social-work intervention.
Partnerships, quality & compliance
Director-level operational input supports referral relationships, quality assurance, governance, policies, data and continuous improvement.
Individual director remuneration is not published on this website. Any paid operational role will be linked to defined work and hours, properly authorised and documented through YouCan CIC governance and relevant funder requirements.
A fundable model
One programme. More than one route to fund it.
The £50,000–£60,000 first-phase request can be met by a lead grant or a combination of grants, donations and partner contributions.
Core delivery
Programme leadership, teaching, administration, mentoring, safeguarding and engagement are the foundation of the pilot.
Targeted contributions
Partners may support defined elements such as equipment, learner travel, qualifications, venues or engagement activity without funding the entire programme.
Only genuine, evidenced contributions permitted by the funder will be counted. If costs exceed the agreed budget, we will adjust scope or secure additional funding before committing to delivery.
A phased route to scale
Launch with 30 people. Build on the evidence.
Phase 1 — Launch and pilot
£50,000–£60,000 sought for a 12-month first phase. Approximately 30 adults with convictions in total: training and mentoring during months 1–6, followed by progression support and evaluation during months 7–12. Training will be free of charge.
Phase 2 — Further cohorts
Seek a separate grant based on pilot costs and results. Extend to additional people rebuilding after prison and develop a distinct veteran pathway with appropriate referral partners. The next cohort size and budget will be confirmed after review.
Phase 3 — Sustainable growth
Develop recurring funding and delivery partnerships, with a longer-term ambition of approximately 100–120 participants annually. Expansion depends on evidenced demand, outcomes, staffing capacity and secured funding; it is not included in the Phase 1 request.