At Stepahead Support we give you the chance to turn things around and make life better, providing direction and advice for families and young people aged 8-25

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    Running the 2012 Paris Marathon

     March 30, 2012. Filed in: Fundraising Stepahead.

     

    Mike, a former service user of Stepahead Support (back when it was known as ‘Moving Forward’) will be running the 2012 Paris Marathon to raise vital funds for Avante Partnership, whose Stepahead Support project provides life-changing support for young people in London and the South East .

     

     ”I am a former client of ‘Moving Forward’, which I understand became Stepahead Support a few years ago. I was a disadvantaged young person benefitting from its services in Thanet from around 1996-99, during which time I received mentoring support from Kay Eastoe and keyworker support from Kelly Nash. I was also the first ever KCHT client to complete a work experience placement at your former HQ in Rochester.

    I have an incredible amount to thank Moving Forward and KCHT, or Avante as it is now, for, including the voluntary sector career that I have since developed. If it hadn’t been for seeing the fulfilment that volunteer mentors and paid staff got from their roles, and taking the opportunities presented to young people like myself to get involved in initiatives such as Thanet Youth Council and the Thanet Youth Conference, I would not be where I am today. And that’s without mentioning the even more vital housing, employment and benefits support that proved so crucial to my physical and mental health and wellbeing.

    In a nutshell I would like to ‘repay’ some of this support by gaining sponsorship for running the Paris Marathon (in which I have a guaranteed place) on 15th April.”

     

    You can donate to Mike and Avante Partnership by clicking on the donate now button below.

    Donate

    Stepahead Support

    Stepahead Support staff at Head Office are also giving a helping hand with a fund raising event on the 13th of April by making lunch for everyone at a small cost with all donations going towards Mike’s Paris Marathon.

    Please click below for more information and the Order Form for your Stepahead Support created lunch:

    Paris Marathon Flyer

    Lunch Order Form

     

     
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    Susan stays step ahead with show

     March 7, 2012. Filed in: Uncategorized.

    Artist Susan Amos begins her first solo exhibition this weekend while aiming to help her favourite charity.

    Interpretations can be seen at the Nucleus Arts Gallery in Chatham. Describing her art, she said “Because of the intensity felt when creating it, I tend not to stick to one subject but paint what inspires me at the time.

    “It can be a feeling, visual idea or an expression.

    “My inspiration comes from various areas, my family, in particular, my grandmother who was also an artist, my imagination and where i live.

    “With the landscapes, the inspiration has come from the dockyard area around the riverside nature reserve and places I have been fortunate to visit.”

    Susan, from Rainham, will be donating the sale of her first painting to the charity Stepahead Support, which helps families an young people aged eight to 25.

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    Faith

    She added: “The money from my first sale will go to a deserving cause, Stepahead Support because I have every faith in the work and help it gives to families.

    “Stepahead Support has made a positive difference to many families, their children, and communities.”

    The exhibition runs from Saturday until Thursday, March 15, at the Nucleus Arts Gallery, Chatham.

     

    -Medway Messenger, 27th February.

     
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    Early Intervention and Prevention

     January 5, 2012. Filed in: Uncategorized.

    Stepahead Support is awarded Early Intervention and Prevention Multiple Supplier Framework Provider status.

    Kent County Council made a decision in Spring 2011 to place all their Early Intervention & Prevention services onto a framework. With services categorised into ‘Lots’.

    Stepahead Support, part of Avante Partnership, applied for 16 of the available 28 Lots. With the last of these submitted in September, creating an anxious wait to hear the outcome. Many of the existing Stepahead staff deliver services included in the new framework, which resulted in much uncertainty and worry regarding future job security.

    On 22nd December Stepahead Support received official notification from Kent County Council that they had been successful in being accepted onto all the Lots applied for.

    Although there is no guarantee of work, this means Stepahead Support is eligible to apply for the tenders that come out attached to the 16 Lots they were accepted for.

    There was an initial requirement for organisations to reach satisfactory levels in the 3 areas of Policies & Procedures, Finance and Safeguarding. Once reaching the required level resulted in a second stage evaluation of Stepahead’s submission that saw a score of 88.22% being achieved. In addition, out of 126 organisations listed, Stepahead Support received the second highest score by 0.3 of a %.

    Stepahead Support is proud to have achieved provider status and along with other plans for the future, is looking forward to further developing and strengthening the service throughout 2012.
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    Awarded Big Lottery Grant

     October 28, 2011. Filed in: Uncategorized.

    Disadvantaged young people and their families in Kent will have access to sports clubs, parenting skills and healthy eating workshops as part of Community Impact, made possible by a Big Lottery Fund grant announced today.

    The grant of over £460,000 is awarded by BIG as part of the Reaching Communities programme, which aims to help those most in need and build stronger communities.

    Stepahead Support will use the award of £468,944 to fund Community Impact and enable it to continue supporting young people and their families experiencing family breakdown, illness, isolation or financial hardship for the next four years.

    Cedric Frederick, Chief Executive of the Avante Partnership, said: “We are really pleased to have been awarded this grant by the Big Lottery Fund. Most families need support from time to time and this funding will enable us to offer even more friendly support on a one-to-one and group basis and make a real positive difference to even more families.”

    After making initial contact with Community Impact the families, which include many single parent families and young parents will then be encouraged to benefit from the range of services offered. Depending on their specific problems or needs, children, young people, their parents or carers can individually or together take part in sports clubs, mediation workshops, healthy eating, anger management, music or parenting skills workshops.

    Alison Rowe, Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for the South East, said: “Reaching Communities is about supporting organisations across the country that make a real difference in people’s lives. The work of this Kent project is invaluable in helping to improve the lives of local families and consequently helping to build a stronger local community. BIG is pleased to be able to support the project and help them continue their efforts.”