Trinity Cheltenham is helping 16 to 24 year-olds facing barriers to work or education find fresh opportunities through the SPEAR programme.
Since opening in 2022, Cheltenham’s SPEAR centre has worked with Trinity to deliver 16 programmes to local young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). For the past three years, the Diocese of Gloucester’s LIFE Together Fund has been proud to contribute funding to this project.
Participants can refer themselves to the programme through the SPEAR website, but they are mostly referred from support services such as job centres, social services, the NHS and youth support teams. It welcomes people from all faiths and non-faith backgrounds.
Each programme equips young people with practical tools such as CV-writing and interview practice, while also developing essential soft skills like confidence, communication, and resilience. It consists of a four-week intensive coaching course, followed by up to a year of ongoing support.
Over 75% of SPEAR graduates nationally remain in work or education a year on from the course. Many of these young people enter the programme with extra challenges – such as having criminal records, mental health struggles, and neurodivergence – but have left with renewed hope, confidence and employability skills.
Chris Wagstaff, Centre Manager of SPEAR Cheltenham, said: “Alongside helping with job applications, we focus on mindset and confidence. Some of our young people start the course unable to speak in a group. By the end, they’re doing mock interviews and talking in front of 70 people at the SPEAR graduation celebration evening.
“One woman began the course too anxious to stay in the room, but she has since been employed for a year and is training for a supervisory role. Her confidence grew so significantly during the programme that she was able to present in front of 70 people at her SPEAR graduation celebration.
SPEAR runs in partnership with Resurgo, a Christian charity. All SPEAR programmes operate in partnership with a local church.
“Although the programme is non proselytising in its content, the church connection means young people can start to explore faith. Some have gone on to complete an Alpha course and have found faith. Alongside this, the team prays for each young person on the programme,” Chris said.
Trinity ensures that the young people celebrate their completion of SPEAR, and hosts celebration evenings for the graduates that invites anyone and everyone to join. The next celebration evening is on 22 October at 7pm, followed by one on 11 December, both at Trinity Church.
Chris said: “It’s always an inspiring evening. The young people share their stories and their present and future plans. Some of these young people have no family to cheer them on, so the presence of others really matters.”
A previous participant of SPEAR said at their celebration evening:
“At an early stage I was diagnosed with ADHD, with complicates everything. I really struggled with social anxiety; before SPEAR I wouldn’t speak to anyone.
“Through SPEAR, I had such a massive sense of self-improvement and a boost in confidence, self-esteem and in every area of my life. I feel better in my own skin now than I have over the last two years.”
Trinity is actively seeking volunteers to help with coaching and mock interviews, as well as employers who can offer entry level opportunities.
Ongoing funding support is also important for the programme to continue and grow.
“The SPEAR programme is free to trainees. We are always looking for businesses that would like to get involved as part of their corporate social responsibility, by way of grant funding, participation in the mock interviews process and offering work experience and potentially employment.
“Employment and education provide purpose, community and stability. For us as Christians, helping young people get jobs is part of living out the Gospel. It’s a sustainable way to change lives and churches can play a big part,” Chris said.
→ For more information and to order tickets (free of charge) for the celebration evening on 22 October
The SPEAR Cheltenham team is also growing and is recruiting for a new coach for the programme – view this vacancy here.
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