The breadth and depth of the services and programmes we deliver at Catch22 never fails to impress me. This year, Catch22 colleagues have delivered huge impact: supporting thousands of people to lead better lives, build resilience and fulfil their ambitions.
Our Social Tech Amplifier programme, which provided a springboard for tech ventures with a focus on supporting employment outcomes for people with barriers, has now evolved and broadened into GoodTech Ventures. This growing community of entrepreneurs is key to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and what will make public services the best they can be for those who need them.
I am incredibly proud of all we’ve achieved this year and of the partnerships we’ve formed with like-minded organisations, partners, and commissioners who see the value in what we do. I hope you enjoy reading this review as much as I did.
The need to be accountable, demonstrate impact, and evidence value for money in organisations like ours has never been more important than it is today. As Chief Executive of Catch22, this is something I am determined to do and do well over the next few years.
In light of our struggling economy, cost of living crisis, and increased demand for our services, organisations like ours need to continue to evidence the public benefit we create and the social value we deliver in the services we provide.
Doing this well is not about receiving kudos for the work we do, or because we have to as a part of our funding arrangements. It’s because we should, and it’s the right thing to do. It’s to satisfy ourselves as social sector professionals that our day-to-day activity is having an impact: the kind of impact that brought us to work in the sector in the first place.
Social value is woven into the fabric and history of the sector and what we do and, with the explosion of technological and data-driven solutions, we have the opportunity in ways we have never seen before to fully utilise these tools to enable us to capture impact in simpler and more systematic ways. We also have the opportunity to gain insights to meet needs from information and data that we previously would not have been able to.
For us, this is a continuous journey that we are committed to and will continue to learn from. Alongside deepening our practice, evidencing our sustainability, and supporting our workforce, we remain committed to the social impact we create.
I am very proud of the progress we have made in 2023 and continue to be inspired by the great work of my colleagues and the wider partnership network that contributes to the work we do in many ways. Without them, we would not be able to achieve the impact we do.
I hope you enjoy reading our review and are as inspired by the great work as I am.
In the last 12 months…
Young people, families and communities
- 17,834 people directly supported
- 99% service user satisfaction
- 97% of our service users feel safer
- 92% report their mental health has improved
- 100% of local authorities surveyed recommend membership of the NLCBF to other local authorities
- Community Links helped people generate an income through additional welfare benefits and address their debts to a tune of just over £2million
Justice
- 45,000 people supported
- 94.5% of service users across our Personal Wellbeing services rated our support ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’
- 97% of service users in our Finance, Benefit and Debt services rated our support ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’
- At Victim First, 100% of victims reported improved or sustained health and wellbeing after our support
- Within our Lifeskills service, 98% of service users reported a positive shift
- Participants in our Gang Awareness Training reported a 95% overall learning improvement
Employability and skills
- 4,064 people supported
- 2,479 people into jobs
- 360 people into education or training
- 64% sustained that outcome for at least 26 weeks
Education
- 80% of students went on to positive destinations
- Include London GCSE Maths results exceeded National Average by 9%
- Attendance improved by 10% in the last 12 months
Study programmes
- 411 young people across our seven sites
- 239 identified themselves as having an additional need or disability
- 178,089 combined learning hours of all students
- 96% of parents/carers feel the curriculum benefits their child
- 91% of all college students would recommend us to a friend
Our people
- In our annual staff survey, 82% of colleagues said they feel proud to work at Catch22
- Over 50 different members of staff presented and facilitated workshops at our InspirEd staff conference
- 370 colleagues attended an in-person event
- There were 1,253 online session attendances
January
Social Tech Amplifier onboards 11 ventures
Partnering with Ufi VocTech Trust and Social Tech Trust, we began delivering the Social Tech Amplifier, which, over the year, has supported 11 ventures who are focused on developing and implementing tech solutions to help tackle youth unemployment.
The Amplifier helps ventures unlock opportunities in the public sector supply chain and prepare them for scale through venture activity development activities and access to investment. They also receive support from Hatch and Microsoft whose products and expertise give them access to relevant software, guidance and mentorships.
“We’re thrilled to be part of the Social Tech Amplifier. The Amplifier is the perfect platform to learn from experts such as Microsoft but also gain valuable advice and guidance from Catch22 whilst we develop, test, network and launch our technology into the employment sector.”
– Marina Hoole, Chief Operating Officer at Imployable
Catch22 mentoring network programme kicks off
The hugely successful mentoring network saw 12 mentors and 12 mentees from across Catch22 combine to enhance their networks, build confidence and learn from each other’s experiences.
The programme includes:
- bi-monthly workshops for mentees covering a range of topics and guest speakers,
- monthly calls between a mentee and mentor to discuss development and challenges faced at work,
- an internal placement within a chosen team,
- a mini project on a topic which is both of interest to the mentee and benefical to Catch22,
- regular mentee catch-up calls to provide peer support and work on a project, and
- a two-day residential.
February
Apprenticeship provision strengthened through Learn Plus Us
Catch22’s award-winning apprenticeship provision joined Learn Plus Us this month – an apprenticeship business which is part of the Angus Knight group. Catch22 and Angus Knight already enjoy a strong relationship as part of their joint venture, Jobs 22. This acquisition further strengthens the link between the two organisations.
Last year, our provision was rated a “Good” Grade 2 provider by Ofsted and was recognised in the Rate My Apprenticeship survey as a “Top 20” training provider nationally.
Treehouse celebrates its first birthday
The Lighthouse Pedagogy Trust’s first home, Treehouse, which is based in Sutton, celebrated its first birthday. The home offers a safe, nurturing, and empowering community in which young people can develop, learn, and thrive. We want young people to be safe, to feel loved and happy with a strong network of relationships, to discover and realise their skills and talents, and have high aspirations for their futures.
March
Child exploitation resource engages hundreds of schools
There have been more than 1,200 downloads of Catch On – an education resource about child exploitation aimed at years 7 and 8 (ages 11-14). The resource contains a suite of options for a single lesson or a series of lessons exploring the topic of grooming and exploitation. There is also a separate handbook for parents and professionals.
“It was very engaging and really enabled discussion. To be honest, we were a bit shocked at how much some of the kids knew about all this, although some were much less aware. It was definitely stories they could relate to and that encouraged them to reflect on their own experiences.”
– Teacher
Recognising our people
Catch22 continued to celebrate and recognise its people with a 4% cost of living increase and continued alignment with the real living wage this year. Our ongoing commitment to our pay and benefits offer has enabled our average salary to be aligned with ONS benchmarks.
Becoming a sustainable business
Catch22’s commitment to sustainability was bolstered this year with a new Sustainability Coordinator and Sustainability Champions working group.
We launched a pilot of Waste & Recycling services at two of our main offices, and have improved signage and bin areas as well as educating staff to waste less and recycle more. As part of this, we have access to live data about our performance, which we will use for environmental reports and behaviour change campaigns.
Colleagues can also make use of our Cycle to Work and low emissions Car Salary Sacrifice schemes.
April
Data transformation programme set to revolutionise use of data and analytics across Catch22
Our data transformation programme will revolutionise the use of data and analytics across Catch22. Within the next two years we will have reimagined, redesigned, and rebuilt our data infrastructure allowing our teams to have access to the latest insights and intelligence to continuously improve our frontline service delivery.
The team is onboarding globally recognised specialist talent to help build a robust, future-proofed data ecosystem, enabling Catch22 to be a truly innovative social enterprise. Already this year, we’ve seen powerful dashboards created for our hubs and corporate services.
Catch22Minutes podcast
This year, we rounded up Series Three of our podcast (focusing on our young people, families and communities work) and launched our policy series. We’ve covered topics including county lines, inequity in safeguarding, short-term prison sentences, AI, and much more!
The podcast is proving a popular listen for those in the sector and we’ve welcomed some fantastic guests from organisations including the British Transport Police, the New Economics Foundation, Crest Advisory and Listen Up.
Revamped Catch22 website launches
Our website is our window to the world and, this year, we launched a new website that we believe represents what Catch22 is all about: delivering high-quality services and meaningful impact, and driving systemic change.
The new site includes:
- better search functionality including a service locator to allow you to not only see what services Catch22 delivers, but how far away those services are,
- an events hub, enabling you to sign up for any upcoming Catch22 events – both virtual and in-person – with ease, and
- a new accessibility toolbar, with functionality including translation, colour and size changes, audio readings and much more.
May
Norfolk Include School celebrates ‘Good’ Ofsted rating
The Ofsted visit to Include Norfolk in May resulted in the school receiving a “Good” rating.
The Ofsted inspection report recognised the remarkable progress made by Include Norfolk in recent years, acknowledging the school’s unwavering pursuit of excellence and its positive impact on the educational journey of its students. The “Good” rating affirms the collective dedication of the school’s talented staff, diligent students, supportive parents, and committed provider Catch22.
“Pupils are supported well to value their potential and meet the high expectations of them. Pupils are determined to be successful in adult life and are well-prepared for their next steps in education or training.”
– Ofsted report, May 2023
InspirEd 2023 and staff awards
Colleagues from across the country came together to attend in-person workshops across the country, learning about the rich variety of services and programmes delivered across the organisation. We also held sessions online, covering a range of topics including data and insights, management, wellbeing, and health and safety.
The week formed part of the national Learning at Work Week campaign, and we were “Commended” as part of the Learning at Work Week awards.
- Over 50 different members of staff presented and facilitated workshops.
- 370 colleagues attended an in-person event.
- There were 1,253 online session attendances.
The staff awards were a fantastic celebration of the achievements of colleagues across the organisation, with the worthy winners recognised in a ceremony held at Clifford Chance, Canary Wharf.
“I thought this year’s smorgasbord-style events worked really well. I absolutely loved seeing the richness and variety of knowledge and experience, and just the sheer talent we have within the organisation. Most importantly, though, I value the warm, supportive, inclusive and ‘can-do’ culture it showcases.”
– Catch22 colleague
Colleagues receive the royal treatment at the King’s Jubilee Garden Party
To mark the King’s Coronation, Catch22, as a charity with a royal patron, received two tickets to the garden party. Paul Kiggell and Emma Norman attended, alongside a wide range of charity representatives.
June
Justice sector convenes at Catch22 conference
We brought together voluntary sector organisations, Ministry of Justice representatives, probation service colleagues, and practitioners from across Catch22 in our inaugural ‘The role of the third sector in the criminal justice system’ conference.
The conference provided a platform to celebrate the sector’s many successes and address its challenges, fostering dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge sharing. Keynote addresses from Anne Fox (CEO of Clinks) and Nina Champion (CEO of the Criminal Justice Alliance), were accompanied by lively panel discussions and insights from expert practitioners and those with lived experience.
The future of pre-employment support for young people
With the Government announcement that traineeships would no longer be a stand-alone programme, we brought together key players from the employability sector to discuss and debate what makes successful pre-employment support for young people.
Featuring speakers from the Learning and Work Institute, West Midlands Combined Authority, and the Department for Education, key asks included:
- a Youth Guarantee to ensure all young people are able to access a job, apprenticeship, or other education or training programme,
- streamlined access to training, and
- adequate financial support for young people embarking on pre-employment training.
July
Care experienced young people take to the stage
Members of our Young People’s Benchmarking Forum hosted the “In Their Own Words” event, where they highlighted how key issues have been affecting them and what policy changes they wanted see. They talked passionately about areas including:
- the cost of living crisis,
- care leaver hubs,
- unaccompanied asylum seeking children,
- transport, and
- care experience as a protected characteristic.
The hybrid event was attended by 287 people, representing 87 local authorities and partner organisations.
The Social Switch Project continues to partner with Mayor of London’s VRU
Following three years of successful delivery and impact, Catch22 was chosen to continue to deliver The Social Switch Project for a further three years. Supported by our partners Redthread, the programme will support 1,000 young people and train more than 2,000 frontline practitioners by:
- upskilling frontline professionals on the opportunities and risks the online world presents to young people, and
- providing a pre-employability programme for young people that includes training modules on how to stay safe online.
This new iteration of the programme also includes a particular focus on violence against women and girls.
“The VRU is committed to working in partnership with Catch22 and Redthread to unlock the vast array of opportunities the digital world presents for children and young people to help them develop and thrive.”
– Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit
Catch22 recognised for county lines expertise
Strategic Director of Young People, Families, and Communities, Kate Wareham, chaired Westminster Insight’s “County Lines Digital Conference”. It was an opportunity to talk about the impact of our national County Lines Support and Rescue service, and learn about best practice examples of multi-agency working – as well as hearing directly from young people who have experienced county lines.
Our county lines expertise was also featured in a special report on BBC1’s The One Show this year.
August
Thousands of victims in Greater Manchester to benefit from Catch22 support
Following a competitive tender process, Catch22 was awarded the contract to deliver the Greater Manchester Victims’ Service: providing comprehensive and tailored support to individuals affected by crime.
The service becomes part of our portfolio of victim services, which includes services in Hertfordshire and Leicestershire, where we successfully won the recommission this year.
“We are thrilled to have been awarded the contract to deliver Greater Manchester’s Victims’ Services. This opportunity strengthens our dedication to providing comprehensive, compassionate, and empowering support to victims, helping them rebuild their lives in the aftermath of crime, and creating a safer, more united Greater Manchester.”
– Andy Canniford, Chief Development Officer, Catch22
Community Links report highlights incredible impact
Our place-based support hub in Newham, Community Links, published its latest report highlighting the incredible impact it has across its core areas of work:
Advice services
- We helped 1,536 clients with legal, debt, and welfare benefits advice.
- We helped clients generate an income through additional welfare benefits and addressing their debts to a tune of just over £2 million during the year.
Young People
- 23 students, across two cohorts, took exams in Links Media College.
- 100% pass rate for Music Technology, as well as English Speaking and Listening.
- 113 young people completed our peer mentoring programme in East London schools.
Community
- The Community Connectors programme helped 800 service users suffering from a serious mental illness in Newham.
- Three quarters of the 100 service users who joined the Community Clicks programme reported feeling confident in using technology by the end of their provision.
- Culture Within Newham is helping residents shape and take ownership of Newham’s cultural possibilities through a series of events and engagements.
- We distributed over 8,500 bags of food to over 3,000 people at our foodbank.
Health
#DoingThingsDifferently in justice
Across 10 days, we showcased where our Justice services deliver innovative models to support people involved in the criminal justice system. We shared how Catch22’s approach to topics like service design, lived experience, academic partnerships, and more is helping us make a real impact.
September
Catch22 manifesto sets out challenge of policymakers
“Reimagining public services: 22 ways to build resilience and aspiration” is a set of 22 policy asks that we want any new government to adopt in order to improve the lives of the people we work with.
Based on the insights and experience of Catch22 colleagues, the policy asks cover five key areas.
- Renew focus on adolescents.
- Ensure job opportunities are open to all.
- Invest in the skills of the future.
- Place rehabilitation and victims’ rights at the heart of the criminal justice system.
- Introduce a national offer for young people leaving care to end the postcode lottery.
Over the coming months, we will be working with other organisations to ensure our policy asks are read by the right people.
TikTok Creative Academy inspires thousands of young creatives
Our groundbreaking TikTok Creative Academy employability programme supports young people furthest from the job market into opportunities in the cultural and creative industries. This year, we established a series of successful events which inspired over 1,000 young people to receive support from successful creatives, as well as network with organisations such as the V&A, UNESCO and BBC.
The programme has seen coverage in various news outlets, national newspapers, and regional press sources. Notably, several MPs and Metro Mayors have directly acknowledged the impact of TikTok Creative Academy and we’ve shared programme insights with policymakers across a range of forums.
October
GoodTech Ventures launches
Catch22 has a rich history of supporting ventures and start-ups to access the right support to give them the best chance of success.
This year, through funding from the Greater London Authority and UfI VocTech Trust, we’re helping impact-led founders and leaders at early-stage tech ventures to design, build, and deploy game-changing digital technologies into social and public service delivery.
Energise employability programme launches to kickstart sustainable careers
More than 1,000 people with barriers to work will benefit from a pilot pre-employment programme delivered by Catch22, which supports people aged 18+ into energy transition careers.
The programme, funded by Shell UK, will initially run in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Norfolk. All participants receive:
- one-to-one support from a dedicated Catch22 Career Coach,
- access to training funds for specific energy transition roles,
- access to employers with energy transition job opportunities, and
- in-work support.
Energise forms part of Catch22’s growing portfolio of programmes to support those furthest from the job market into ‘green’ jobs, including Grid for Good which is funded by National Grid.
John Lewis partners with Catch22 to support care experienced young people in Manchester into work
Career Hive, a three-year programme delivered by Catch22, will support local care experienced young people to access training and education opportunities, employment guidance, and wrap-around wellbeing support.
The programme is built around the core mission of building strong and trusted relationships with each young person. Crucially, the programme will coordinate and advocate for all their support needs with the key stakeholders involved in their lives – most notably their Local Authority Personal Advisor and their employer.
“The John Lewis Foundation is proud to be funding Career Hive, Catch22’s project supporting care experienced young people in Manchester to move into long term sustainable employment.
“Our long-term ambition is to become the employer of choice for people who are care experienced. Through our Building Happier Futures programme, we’re focused on amplifying their voices, changing public perceptions, donating both time and money and, crucially, improving access to jobs and education.”
– Nicola Waller, John Lewis Foundation Trustee
November
Include Norfolk’s Cloud 22 wins “Digital Innovation Award” at CYP Now Awards
Developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cloud 22 is a fully online and remote school for students aged 14-16 years old. It was created to deliver a complete and comprehensive curriculum, comprising live lessons and pastoral support, to those hard-to-reach learners who are persistent non-attenders and simply cannot engage in an on-site environment. 24 students are now benefiting from it, and the innovation was recognised through a prestigious CYP Now award.
The National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum was also shortlisted for its cost of living campaign, alongside LGE who were shortlisted for the Youth Justice Award.
Hundreds of Catch22 colleagues gather for annual Townhall events
More than 350 Catch22 colleagues came together in Manchester, London and Bristol to take part in workshops on topics including employee experience, social value, quality and impact, and sustainability. There were live Q&A sessions with our Chief Officers Group, as well as a chance to meet colleagues from across different services.
“The day offered a great opportunity to see colleagues, as well as engage with services that are outside of ‘everyday’ working life. I felt that the event reaffirmed the need for joined-up cross-collaborative thinking which I will take back to my role.”
– Catch22 colleague
Herts Beacon scoops Outstanding Third Sector Initiative award
Our Hertfordshire Beacon Victim Care service was awarded the Outstanding Third Sector Initiative at this year’s Tackling Economic Crime Awards (TECAs).
The award was in recognition of the great work done by our romance fraud peer support group, which provides a safe space for victims of romance fraud to come together and collectively cope and heal from the profound impact of this crime.
December
Royal visit for thriving Include London school
Our Patron, HRH Princess Anne, toured our Include London school, speaking to staff and pupils, and congratulating them on their achievements. She was presented with a painting created by one of our students, and unveiled a plaque marking the visit.
The school had received a monitoring visit from Ofsted a month earlier, resulting in all Independent School Standards being met.
National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum celebrates its 20th birthday
Catch22’s National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum (NLCBF) has been delivering incredible support for care leavers and local authority care leaving teams for 20 years!
To mark this momentous occasion, NLCBF invited local authorities to plant ‘Positivitrees’ to celebrate their decision to make care experience a protected characteristic locally and to grow their local offer – something which is at the core of NLCBF campaigning activity.
Thank you
Without our commissioners and partners, we wouldn’t be able to have the impact we do. Thank you to you all.
