Our aims

Catch22 is not your average charity; it is a social business, with a social mission. We work with people who find themselves in seemingly impossible situations.

Our services help them develop the confidence and skills to find solutions that are right for them – whether it’s getting back into school or training, choosing to stay out of trouble, avoiding substance misuse, or to live independently after leaving care or custody.

Our history and experience of working with vulnerable people in difficult situations spans over 200 years, giving us the skills and know-how to help find solutions that work. Catch22's Strategic Plan 2012-2015 sets out our commitment to take that even further.

Corporate Strategy 2012-15

Building on our current work and strong organisational foundations, combining our strong sense of purpose with a highly business-like approach, we believe we can rise to both the opportunities and the challenges presented in this changing world to achieve the best possible results for those who use our services, for communities and for society as a whole.

In 2012-15 we will look to expand our work in our four specialist areas:

Within this, specific priorities will include: pushing forward new approaches to reducing reoffending by young adult offenders; expanding our specialist support for young people most at risk of school exclusion; and promoting-whole community approaches to reducing young people’s gang involvement.

Building on our strong track record, we will also redouble our efforts to enable young people in tough situations to gain skills and access opportunities that help them on their path to adult life. Routes we will take include, of critical importance at this time, increasing the number of apprenticeships and other options open to young people who face the stiffest challenges in getting into work or training

Transforming public services

We want to play an even greater part in providing core public services, reshaping expectations of what such services can look like and achieve.

We welcome the Government's call for more open and responsive public services. With roots going back to the Philanthropic Society and to the London Police Court Mission (the forerunner of the modern day Probation Service), we were part of the movement that created public services. We are already in public service deliery as providers of leaving care and restorative justice services and in the innovative approach being taken at Doncaster Prison in partnership with Serco and Turning Point.

'By 2015 we want to be recognised providers of dynamic, people-centred public services both on our account and in partnership with others.'

Transforming ourselves

To help us meet the challenges ahead we need to transform the way we work, concentrating all our energies and skills to achieve maximum impact and deliver the best possible returns on investment.

'Between now and 2015 we will make a step-change in how we work together and with others to achieve the best possible results for individuals, communities and society as a whole.'

Transforming lives

Our fundamental aim remains the same. By transforming public services and transforming ourselves our aim will be to reach and help even more young people and families to find their way through and out of tough situations, and to help more adult offenders turn away from crime.

'In 2011/2012 we helped 30,000 young people and adult offenders. By 2015 we want to help half as many people again through services that we ourselves manage and through smart collaboration, backing up our work with concrete evidence of impact.'

Download the Catch22 Strategic Plan 2012-2015 (pdf).