The Mix is a charity which works with young people in Stowmarket and its surrounding villages. Through outreach, mentoring and skills workshops, the team empower young people to overcome the various challenges they face.
Last year, we awarded them a grant of £3,449 from our Community Cares Fund to support their Greenlights mentoring project. Greenlights offers specialist mentoring sessions for children aged 9-11 years who struggle in a range of areas such as anxiety, resilience and low self-esteem, especially in the run up to high school. With the 1:1 support of a specialist mentor, these young people are given the skills and confidence they need to thrive.
Esther Hart, who leads on the Greenlights Project, tells us more about the impact our funding has had:
‘After the uncertainty of the past few years, it’s never been more important to support children at this stage in their lives. In the UK, almost two thirds of children say they worry “all the time” and one in twelve 5-19 year olds struggle with an emotional disorder such as sadness, anxiety or low self-esteem.
Our Greenlights mentors help children to overcome difficulties ranging from anxiety, anger and low self-esteem, and look to a future of possibilities. Thanks to the donation from East of England Co-op, we’ve been able to establish a team of committed mentors, equipped with the skills to support each child with their specific needs.
Some of the young people need extra support in social situations and they may often feel sad, lonely or anxious. These feelings can make them feel emotional and impact their schoolwork as well as their social lives. But having a trusted person who takes the time to listen and understand their needs makes all the difference. Supported by their mentor, the young people are able to gain confidence in their abilities to manage their emotions themselves. It’s amazing what an impact the simple act of listening makes for our young people; we can’t wait help even more young people reach their full potential.’
The support of our members and customers has made this life-changing work possible. Thanks to you, these young people will be able to face their future with confidence.
Find out more about all our Community Cares Fund grant winners here, or discover how we can make your community project happen.