Youth charity forced to end 'life-changing' course

A basic skills programme described as "life-changing" for young people is to close after losing its funding.

Young Devon, a charity working in Exeter, Newton Abbot, Paignton and Plymouth, has been running the courses for students who leave schools without qualifications for a decade.

But the charity, which still has more than 100 young people on its waiting list, is set to lose its £400,000 funding from September.

The programme, aimed at young people who are not in education, employment or training (Neets), came from Weston College in Somerset as part of its outreach work. A spokesperson said the change followed "a strategic review of learner demand and funding priorities".

Staff at Young Devon said the course had helped more than 1,000 16 to 25 year olds by giving them the skills to continue education or find work.

Imogen Pearce went to college when she was 16, but struggled as she experienced functional neurological disorder (FND) and non epileptic seizures.

She went to Young Devon for help and three years later is studying health and social care at Exeter College.

She said: "I gained so much confidence, now I feel like a completely different person."

Her father, James Pearce, said: "Without Young Devon, I'd hate to think how she'd be now. She's really on a very good track and Young Devon has been absolutely at the core of that journey."

Andy Moreman, chief executive of the charity, said the course had a proven record of helping young people.

"Many haven't been in school for two or three years, many don't have English or maths," he said. "We have a 95% success rate in getting them into work or college."

The end of the funding comes in the wake of the Milburn Review which found one in six young people were set to be out of work, education or training in five years unless action was taken.

Moreman added: "The irony of this announcement coming so soon after the Milburn Review is not lost on us. We know the need is greater than ever."

The rest of Young Devon's work, including at a new centre in Newton Abbot, is set to continue.

"This does not mean we are stepping back from our commitment to helping young people develop the skills they need to succeed, far from it," Moreman added.

Michael, 17, said he found college "overwhelming" but Young Devon had given him him one-to-one support and he was now studying creative media at college.

He said: "When I was younger, I'd wear a mask because I was scared of being criticised.

"Here I can just be myself and be happy really. I now have more confidence, I get the bus now, I'm socialising more - which is massive."

Jack Capell, 19, loves wildlife and photography, but said college did not work for him and he was at a dead end. He was doing volunteering work when he decided to attend Young Devon.

He said: "I did their work-based learning course and from there, I did a day out tree planting."

This led to him taking up a traineeship at Devon Wildlife Trust.

"It was life-changing. Young Devon is like a stepping stone," he said.

Allie Edmonds, a support worker on the skills courses, said she had seen Jack grow in confidence.

"Jack has really found what he wants to do. That's invaluable isn't it?" she added.

Ten jobs are at risk, if funding is not found. Efforts to seek support from alternative sources has so far been unsuccessful."

Weston College said it had subcontracted provision where it aligned with its mission of widening participation, supporting social mobility and reaching disadvantaged learners.

This had been based on learner need, quality of delivery and alignment with funding rules, rather than administrative county boundaries, it said.

Weston College confirmed it was ending its long-standing subcontracting arrangement with Young Devon from September 2026, after a review of learner demand and funding priorities.

A spokesperson said: "For more than 10 years, Weston College has worked successfully with Young Devon to support some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people who are not in education, employment or training.

"Young Devon has delivered high-quality, trauma-informed provision and we are proud of the positive outcomes achieved through our partnership.

"The decision to end our subcontracting arrangement from September 2026 has not been made because of any concerns regarding performance, quality or impact."

A spokesperson for the Department for Education (DfE) said: "Colleges make their own decisions in relation to sub-contracting arrangements subject to complying with DfE rules."

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