Breakthrough started in 2002, with the belief that sport could play a role in addressing challenging behaviour at school. A small grant was awarded by the Children’s Fund to pilot some group based work with groups of challenging pupils.
At the end of the pilot, although largely successful, it was decided to move from working with groups to individuals; this led to a mentoring model being developed.
Breakthrough has come along way since it’s earlier beginnings, winning the first of a number awards in 2007, named the best programme working with Children, Young People and Families in the UK by CSIP(Care Services Improvement Partnership). Most recent award in 2010 saw another notable success as the Mentoring & Befriending Foundation named Breakthrough the best mentoring programme in the UK at the supporting life’s journey awards in Westminster.
Thanks to its continuous success Breakthrough has attracted many other funders and has grown to work across the West of England and has worked with the following groups;
• Young Carers
• Young People with mental ill health
• Adults with mental ill health
• Disabled Children
• Disabled adults
• Children in Care
• Obese Children
• Children at risk of school exclusion
• Children in the criminal justice system
2011 will be another challenging but also exciting year for Breakthrough. We are exploring a European Funding bid. With our partners in the other 4 areas 2011 may well see Breakthrough have its 1000th placement. This will be a truly amazing achievement for a programme that started as a small pilot in 2002.
Breakthrough’s ethos is,
‘Changing the world one person at a time’