Youth Matters

Youth Matters is an independent youth charity based in Bedford working with young people from a diverse range of  backgrounds. The overall aim of the charity is to help young people help themselves.

We provide two main programmes, Improving Choices and Engage.  Each programme is similar in content, covering functional skills, vocational skills, and personal and social development but varies on focus and level of delivery.

Within each programme we have a range of activities that young people can choose to participate in such as art and music.

"I was part of Youth Matters programme after dropping out of the sixth form due to serious depression, although I probably didnt recognise this at the time, looking back I realised how much benefit Youth Matters was for me. I now own my own internet telecoms company.

So without having somewhere to go and some purpose to my days after sixth form I doubt I would be where I am now." (Liam,)

At Youth Matters we care about people and recognise everyone as individuals. We work hard to be able to tailor our programmes to suit each young person.

We are a small and dynamic organisation which enables us to be flexible. This means that we are able to provide a range of projects alongside the three main programmes on offer, for example 'Young Men As Parents' and 'Aiming Higher' for young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities, this helps us to reach even more young people.