You Are Not Alone.
Real Support for Real Life.
Non-regulated, community-based support for young people, families, and those who care for them — across Stoke-on-Trent and surrounding communities. Whether you are looking for help for yourself or someone you support, we are here.
Free to access · No waiting list for initial contact · Safeguarding-led
Support Built Around You
We know that life does not always fit neatly into a service category. Young people face challenges that cross boundaries — a care leaver managing their mental health, a young mum with a learning disability navigating the system, a child with additional needs whose parent is simply exhausted and has nowhere to turn.
That is why our support is flexible, person-led, and delivered with genuine compassion. We do not judge. We do not make you tell your story twelve times. We walk alongside you at whatever pace feels right.
Our services are non-clinical and non-regulated, designed to complement statutory services and fill the gaps that formal systems often leave behind.
Who We Are Here For
Our services are open to anyone aged 0–25 — and the families around them.
Young Carers
Children and young people who provide unpaid care for a family member with illness, disability, mental health challenges, or substance misuse.
Care-Experienced Young People
Young people who have been in care, are leaving care, or have recently left the care system (aged 16–25).
Young Adults with Learning Disabilities
Young people aged 16–25 navigating the transition to adulthood, independence, and the world of work.
Young People with Mental Health Challenges
Non-clinical, peer-led support for young people aged 11–25 experiencing anxiety, low mood, isolation, or emotional distress.
SEND Families
Support and signposting for parents and carers of children with special educational needs or disabilities.
Young People NEET
Young people aged 16–25 not currently in education, employment, or training who are ready to take a step forward.
Our Support Services
Five dedicated service areas — each shaped around the real needs of the people we support.
Mental Health & Wellbeing Support
Non-clinical · Peer-led · Ages 11–25
Struggling with anxiety, low mood, or feelings of isolation is more common than anyone talks about — and it does not always require a clinical referral to start feeling better. Sometimes, what makes the biggest difference is a safe space, a consistent face, and someone who genuinely listens.
Our wellbeing support groups and one-to-one peer mentoring sessions are designed for young people aged 11–25 who are finding life hard but may not meet the threshold for statutory CAMHS or adult mental health services.
What we offer
- ✓Non-clinical wellbeing groups (in-person and hybrid)
- ✓One-to-one peer mentoring with trained mentors with lived experience
- ✓Grounding techniques, mindfulness, and emotional regulation tools
- ✓Signposting and warm referrals to specialist clinical services where needed
- ✓Crisis safety planning support (non-clinical)
This service is for you if you…
- →Feel anxious, overwhelmed, or persistently low
- →Are struggling with isolation or a lack of social connection
- →Have been told you do not meet CAMHS thresholds
- →Are waiting for statutory services and need support now
Learning Disabilities & Life Skills
Transition support · Practical skills · Ages 16–25
The move from adolescence to adulthood is a huge transition for any young person. For those with a learning disability, it can feel especially daunting — navigating new systems, reduced support from school, and the expectation of growing independence, often with little practical help.
We offer structured, friendly, and accessible life skills support to help young adults aged 16–25 build confidence, practical knowledge, and the tools for a more independent life.
What we offer
- ✓Practical life skills workshops (cooking, budgeting, travel, digital skills)
- ✓Support navigating health and social care systems
- ✓Peer-led social groups and community inclusion activities
- ✓Supported goal-setting and personal development plans
- ✓Transition planning support (school to adult life)
This service is for you if you…
- →Has a diagnosed or suspected learning disability and is approaching or in adulthood
- →Needs practical skills support to build independence
- →Feels isolated or excluded from community life
- →Is navigating the Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan review process
Care Support: Young Carers & Care Leavers
Emotional support · Practical help · Ages 8–25
Caring for someone you love, or growing up in the care system, shapes you in ways that are hard to put into words. You may have missed out on things other young people take for granted. You may feel invisible, exhausted, or unsure of where to turn.
We offer dedicated peer support, practical guidance, and a genuine community for young carers and care-experienced young people who are ready to take back some space for themselves.
What we offer
- ✓Peer support groups for young carers (aged 8–18) and young adult carers (18–25)
- ✓One-to-one mentoring and advocacy support for care leavers
- ✓Practical help with housing, benefits, and navigating Leaving Care services
- ✓Emotional wellbeing check-ins and regular social connection
- ✓Holiday and respite activities for young carers
- ✓Support for care leavers in education, employment, and training
This service is for you if you…
- →Provides care for a parent, sibling, or other family member
- →Has experience of the care system and is aged 16–25
- →Is feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or isolated
- →Needs practical guidance on rights, benefits, or housing as a care leaver
Support for SEND Families
Family support · Signposting · Children 0–18 and their families
When your child has additional needs, the system can feel like a maze — confusing, slow, and often unsupportive. Parents and carers of children with SEND tell us they feel exhausted, misunderstood, and left to manage on their own.
We do not have all the answers, but we do have a listening ear, a strong local network, and a commitment to walking alongside you until you find the right support.
What we offer
- ✓Stay-and-play sessions for children aged 0–5 with additional needs (and their parents or carers)
- ✓Information, advice, and signposting for SEND processes including EHC plans and school support
- ✓Peer support groups for parents and carers of children with additional needs
- ✓Emotional wellbeing support and social connection for isolated families
- ✓Warm referrals to specialist SEND services, OT, speech and language, and advocacy organisations
This service is for you if you…
- →You are a parent or carer of a child with a diagnosed or suspected SEND need
- →You are navigating the EHCP process for the first time
- →You feel unsupported by your child's school or local authority
- →You just need to speak to someone who gets it
Pathways to Progress: Support for Young People NEET
Skills · Confidence · Employment readiness · Ages 16–25
Not being in education, employment, or training does not mean you have given up — it often means the system gave up on you first. Whether you left school early, are recovering from a difficult period, or simply do not know what your next step could be, your potential is real and your future matters.
Our NEET support strand focuses on helping young people aged 16–25 re-engage with learning, work, and life — at a pace and in a way that works for them.
What we offer
- ✓One-to-one goal-setting and progress coaching
- ✓CV support, mock interviews, and job-readiness workshops
- ✓Digital skills training (from basics to confidence with AI tools)
- ✓Volunteering and skills-building pathways through MGM Foundation's own programmes
- ✓Peer mentoring from young people with lived experience of overcoming barriers
- ✓Connections to local training providers, employers, and apprenticeship schemes
This service is for you if you…
- →Is aged 16–25 and not currently in education, employment, or training
- →Lacks confidence, qualifications, or work experience
- →Has faced barriers such as caring responsibilities, poor mental health, or exclusion
- →Is ready to take a step — however small — towards something new
Getting Started Is Simple
You do not need a referral form, a diagnosis, or a caseworker to reach out to us. Just get in touch — we will take it from there.
Reach Out
Call, email, or fill in our short contact form. You do not need to have all the answers. Just say hello.
We Listen
We will have a short, friendly conversation — in person, by phone, or by video — to understand what you need and what matters to you.
We Connect You
Whether it is one of our own services, a partner organisation, or both, we will find the right support and make sure you are not left waiting alone.
For professional referrers: we aim to respond to all referrals within 2 working days.
Referring a Young Person or Family?
We work closely with health visitors, social workers, schools, GPs, housing officers, and VCSE colleagues across Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire. If you are supporting someone who would benefit from our services, we welcome professional referrals.
All referrals are handled in line with UK GDPR and our Safeguarding Policy. We require consent from the young person or family wherever possible.
Why Families and Professionals Trust MGM Foundation
Lived Experience Leadership
Our team and peer mentors have walked similar paths. We know what it feels like to need support and not know where to start.
Safeguarding-Led
We have a Designated Safeguarding Lead and robust safeguarding procedures. Every team member and volunteer is trained and DBS-checked.
Trauma-Informed Practice
Everything we do is person-centred, non-judgmental, and paced around the individual. We follow trauma-informed principles in every interaction.
Committed to Quality
We are committed to the NCVO Trusted Standard and Investing in Volunteers quality marks, with continuous review of impact through participant feedback.
Community Rooted
Founded in Stoke-on-Trent by a registered nurse with over 22 years of clinical and safeguarding experience. We are part of this community.
Free at the Point of Access
All our community-facing services are free to access. We are funded by grants and partnerships so cost is never a barrier.
Your Questions, Answered
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Whether you are looking for help for yourself, your child, or someone you care for — or you are a professional who wants to refer — our team is here and ready to listen. There is no wrong reason to reach out.
MGM Foundation CIC — Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales. Safeguarding policy available on request.