Unlocking Opportunity in West Norfolk
So many young people in Norfolk have the drive and ambition to build skills for their future employment. Here’s how we’re helping level the field to make it happen.
In West Norfolk, local people and community organisations are working every day to create brighter futures for young people. With deep knowledge of their community’s strengths and challenges, these grassroots groups are building innovative programs that unlock opportunity, foster confidence, and help young people chart their own paths forward.
The Upskilling West Norfolk Fund, supported by local philanthropist Ben Colson and stewarded by Norfolk Community Foundation, plays a key role in enabling this work. For over a decade, the fund has provided vital resources that help locally-led projects scale their impact and respond to evolving needs. To see how this fund is unlocking opportunity, Corrie and Megan from the Programmes Team joined Ben to visit several remarkable projects that are driving real change for young people in West Norfolk.
A great start
Starting the day in King’s Lynn, Corrie, Megan and Ben visited Hanseatic Union, an organisation ensuring that everyone in the community has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their starting point or the language they speak. Hanseatic Union looks at the whole person, not the problem, making sure people get the support they need.
Thanks to the Upskilling West Norfolk Fund, Hanseatic Union offered work experience placements for young people. The team met Vainius, who spoke passionately about the confidence he’d gained in his work experience with Hanseatic Union. They inspired him to pursue further education, an ambition that once seemed out of reach but was now in sight thanks to targeted support and investment in his potential.
Building momentm
The team’s next stop was The Workshop, which is determined to open West Norfolk’s creative industries to all. Supported by the Upskilling West Norfolk Fund, they delivered an Introduction to Creative Industries course, helping graduates discover new career pathways. Only half of new arts graduates are in full-time employment, and often the biggest hurdle for those to break into this competitive sector is building professional networks. The Garage helped graduates make links in the local arts sector as well as build new skills with help from career mentors. The Workshop is opening doors that might otherwise remain firmly shut, and also shared their ambitious expansion plans with the team which will expand their reach even further, creating new spaces for creativity, learning, and community growth.
Spaces to thrive
Finally, in Downham Market, Corrie, Megan and Ben visited Swan Youth Project at their boutique Love Downham shop. Driven by their ambition to build young people’s resilience and support them on their journey towards independence, the project aids them in overcoming significant personal challenges.
With funding from the Upskilling West Norfolk Fund, they offered tailored, hands-on support through work experience, CV support, and interview prep, all within a friendly and welcoming community space. They told the team about James*, who had grown in confidence to the point where he now greets customers and offers them a hot drink: small steps that represent huge personal victories. He came to the Swan Youth Project because of his additional needs and severe anxiety, both of which left him struggling to interact with other people comfortably. As Swan Youth Project emphasised, with time and patience, doors can open even for those facing the most complex challenges.
Throughout the day, the team saw just how broad an impact the funding had achieved. From upskilling young people in retail and advice services to building connections and skills for success in the arts, each visit reminded the team of the crucial need for a tailored approach that suits each person’s needs when it comes to employability support. Together, Ben and Norfolk Community Foundation are empowering young people to build their confidence and take control of their futures.
[Published 13.06.25]
