Young People and Children First trading as Bridge for Young People

Who we are

Bridge for Young People (BFYP) was established in 2008 by John and Patsy Stone to significantly improve the provision for young people leaving care in West Berkshire.  As foster carers to 25 children over 20 years, they saw first-hand that many young care leavers were unable to fend for themselves and were quickly falling into homelessness, often into prison and a chaotic life of disadvantage.  They believed that every young care leaver should have a nice place to live until they were ready for independence.  Bridge for Young People opened its first housing project in 2010.  Since then, we have successfully provided safe, ‘family home’ style accommodation, and intensive emotional and practical support, transforming the lives of over 90 young people in need.  

The charity provides family style supported housing, move on flats and floating support.

Our culture and values

At the heart of our charity lies a set of core values which define the guiding principles that shape how we behave at Bridge for Young people. They govern how we work and communicate with young people, staff, partners and regulators such as Ofsted and the Charity Commission. These values influence our decisions and inspire our actions whilst reassuring and motivating our young people, our staff and our Trustees.

Trust and Compassion
We nurture meaningful relationships through honesty, transparency and integrity, offering non-judgemental support, empathy and respect for every person’s story.

 Empowerment
We believe every voice matters. We create an environment where people feel safe to speak up, are heard and respected, and feel able to shape their own lives.

Responsibility
We take ownership of our actions, behaviour and commitments, act with professionalism and prioritise respect, safety and the wellbeing of everyone.

Equality and Inclusion
e welcome diversity, challenge stigma, advocate for fair treatment and ensure everyone feels valued and supported.

Resilience and Hope
We learn, adapt and overcome setbacks through reflection, patience and understanding. We are optimists offering encouragement and support, celebrating achievements both large and small as we build the confidence, skills and belief in a better future. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Every person in the Charity brings different work and life experiences, skills and knowledge with them to work.

As an equal opportunities employer we actively support human rights, all equality legislation and promote diversity and inclusion throughout the charity. Our ethos is to respect and value people’s differences, and to help everyone achieve more at work as well as in their personal lives so that they feel proud of who they are and of the part they play in our success.

Each employee has the right to be valued, respected and work in an environment which is free from discrimination or harassment and every employee must adhere to these principles. Any form of discrimination, abuse or harassment will result in disciplinary action being taken, including dismissal for serious cases.