Member Article

Young people gain £680k with Middlesbrough’s Thirteen Group service

A project run by Middlesbrough-based the Thirteen Group has boosted young people’s finances by more than £680k by teaching them how to be smarter with their money.

Know Your Money – Keep The Change (KYM) is a Big Lottery funded project led by Erimus Housing , a partner in the Thirteen Group.

The project, based at 73-75 Corporation Road, was developed by a number of local partner agencies andworks with clients aged 16-24. KYM also offers a service in Thorntree Community Hub every Friday too.

In its latest report, KYM reveals that since opening in August 2013 it has helped 1,314 young people, who have gained an extra £683,512.20 in their pockets, through advice on debt reduction, accessing grants and benefits, reducing outgoings, better budgeting and job-hunting.

The young people receive one-to-one help with money issues and can also attend group sessions to learn how to manage their money more wisely and gain skills for managing their first home. They also get free support with health issues from the project’s youth health advocate.

Project Manager Susan Borrow said: “It’s been another fantastic year for KYM, and the figures speak for themselves about how vital the service is. Young people we are working with are becoming more money savvy and 45 of them have also secured paid employment,with support from KYM’s in-house job club delivered by Actes.

“As Christmas gets closer, money gets tighter and young people feel the pressure more than ever. So we spread our work throughout the year to make sure there are no financial shocks in store.

“The staff members are dedicated to helping young people steer clear of problems, so they can support themselves and their families and contribute to the local economy.

“It has been a time of great achievements, working with some remarkable young people and dedicated staff. We have built a foundation that should secure our Young people gain £680k success for some years to come.”