Wellness and Wellbeing
The Foundation supports a number of projects to support the wellness and well-being of young people in Bedfordshire.
Youthscape, a Luton based charity working with young people aged 11 and above provides a wide range of programmes and events focused on young people’s social and emotional well-being.
During the pandemic they implemented ‘Thrive’; a new initiative to help youngsters across Bedfordshire whose lives were turned upside down by Covid-19 through isolation, loss of routine, anxiety about the future, disruption to their education, and in some cases difficult or traumatic experiences at home. The Connolly Foundation donated to this major project to support young people’s mental wellbeing during the pandemic.
The foundation funded a group of Luton organisations, large and small, through the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Fund to work together to help disaffected young people and their families. The group of some 15 or so charities and projects include the Level Trust, the Foodbank, Families United Network, Autism Beds, Stepping Stones and Flying Start.
Support during Covid
The Connolly Foundation provided funding to Central Bedfordshire to help them fund three posts which enabled the local authority to offer support to schools. This was particularly been focused on Special Educational Needs students, but also available to give advice to staff who needed support.
The Connolly Foundation and The Harpur Trust joined forces to launch a Covid Catch-up programme for some of the most disadvantaged pupils across the county. They worked in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire to deliver the programme in which trainee teachers delivered catchup sessions.
Teachers at Mark Rutherford School were able to help conduct remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic due to a £10,000 donation by The Connolly Foundation which was used to purchase laptops for staff.
