Sheffield Futures

What Sheffield Futures does

Sheffield Futures is an independent UK registered charity (Charity No. 1044940, Company No. 2963378), founded in 1995 and headquartered at Star House, 43 Division Street, Sheffield. It supports young people aged 11-25 in Sheffield across three integrated service lines: mental health and wellbeing (delivered through the Door 43 open-access hub offering drop-in wellbeing sessions, structured 1:1 support, counselling, and social prescribing); employability and careers (1:1 employment coaching, NEET-focused programmes, fully qualified independent Careers Advisors, and time-limited initiatives including the Summer Jobs Programme); and youth voice (NextGen Consulting youth-led advisory and Young Trustees on the Board). The organisation served 3,770 young people in 2024 and is contractually embedded across six Sheffield Primary Care Networks (Peak Edge, Porter Valley, University of Sheffield, SAPA5, Network North, Don Valley) and eight partner schools (Meadowhead, Chaucer, High Storrs, Silverdale, Yewlands, Ecclesfield, Longley Park, Stocksbridge).

The technology posture is non-existent as a platform business: there is no proprietary technology product, API, or AI capability disclosed, and all services are delivered by qualified human practitioners either at Star House, in schools, in GP surgeries, or in community youth hubs. Service tiers are highly structured — Wellbeing Café (drop-in), Wellbeing Wednesdays (1:1 practitioner sessions), Structured Support (6-session intensive 1:1), Counselling (up to 12 sessions including a specialist domestic abuse stream), and Social Prescribing Link Workers embedded in PCNs.

The revenue model is a hybrid of restricted grant funding and diversified fundraising. Primary streams are government and public-sector grants (DHSC Early Support Hub pilot, SYICB Pathways to Work, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority employability programmes, Youth Endowment Fund / Youth Futures Foundation / DCMS via UK Youth, and the concluded ESF-funded Feel Well, Work Well). Supplementary streams include individual and corporate donations (Benevity payroll giving, major events raising £34,500-£37,000 with partners including Heb Group, HE Barnes, and Placing Faces), Star House venue hire with VCFSE sector discounts (revenue reinvested in services), and the NextGen Consulting paid youth consultancy. Services are free at point of access to eligible young people; pricing is therefore defined for corporate sponsorship tiers (£250-£1,000 for 30th Anniversary events) rather than beneficiary fees. The customer base is beneficiary-side (Sheffield-resident 11-25 year olds) with paying counterparties split across UK central government departments, NHS Integrated Care Boards, regional combined authorities, foundations, and corporate CSR programmes.

Name

Sheffield Futures

Legal name

Sheffield Futures

Website

https://sheffieldfutures.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Sheffield Futures is an independent UK youth charity, founded in 1995, that delivers integrated mental health, employability, and careers services for 11-25 year olds in Sheffield via the Door 43 open-access hub, embedded GP and school delivery, and a refreshed 2026-2029 strategy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Charity Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Youth mental health services
• Careers guidance
• Employability support
• Social prescribing
• Youth counselling

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Government Funding: Sheffield Futures receives funding from government bodies including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (SYICB), South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, and Primary Care Networks to deliver early intervention mental health services, social prescribing, and employability programmes.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: The charity solicits donations from individuals (including payroll giving via Benevity) and corporate partners. Corporate partners such as Placing Faces have committed to fundraising activities, and the organisation has been supported by local businesses at events such as the Heb Group Centenary Ball (£34,500 raised) and HE Barnes Centenary Ball (£37,000 raised).
3. Room Hire and Venue Services at Star House: Star House offers meeting rooms, events space, and offices available to rent, with sector discounts for public and VCFSE (Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise) colleagues. Revenue is reinvested in local youth services.
4. NextGen Consulting (Youth Consultancy): Sheffield Futures offers a paid youth consultancy service (NextGen Consulting) where young advisors provide youth-proofing, training, and advisory services to businesses. Organisations are invited to make a donation to Sheffield Futures in exchange.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sheffield Futures is a registered charity that delivers open-access mental health and wellbeing support, careers guidance, employability coaching, social prescribing, and youth voice programmes for young people aged 11–25 in Sheffield. Its flagship Door 43 hub combines drop-in wellbeing sessions, structured 1:1 support, counselling, social prescribing Link Workers embedded in GP surgeries and schools, and Early Support Hub outreach. Parallel services include school-based careers advice, employment coaching for NEET young people, the Summer Jobs Programme, and NextGen Consulting which places young people as paid consultants to businesses, all anchored at the Star House community hub.

Product overview

Sheffield Futures is a youth charity (established 1995) operating a multi-service portfolio centred on supporting young people aged 11–25 in Sheffield. Its core service is Door 43, an open-access mental health and wellbeing hub providing a structured tier of support: Wellbeing Cafés and Workshops (group, drop-in), Wellbeing Wednesdays (1:1 practitioner sessions), Structured Support (intensive 1:1), Counselling (talking therapy including specialist domestic abuse counselling), Social Prescribing (via GP surgery and school Link Workers), and the Early Support Hub/Hublets (community outreach workshops). Parallel to Door 43, Sheffield Futures delivers Employability and Careers services — including careers guidance in schools, 1:1 employment coaching, and time-limited programmes such as the Summer Jobs Programme and the now-concluded Feel Well, Work Well. A distinct offer is NextGen Consulting, placing young people as paid consultants to businesses. All services are anchored at Star House, a community hub offering rooms for other VCFSE organisations. The portfolio is held together by a commitment to early intervention, youth voice (Young Advisors/Trustees), and evidence-based delivery, with no technology platform, API, or AI capability described.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Door 43 Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub Open-access hub providing mental health and wellbeing support for young people aged 13-25, combining Wellbeing Café drop-in sessions, Wellbeing Wednesdays 1:1 practitioner sessions, weekly Wellbeing Workshops, Structured Support (six 1:1 sessions), and up to 12 sessions of confidential Counselling including a specialist domestic abuse stream for ages 11-18.
• Social Prescribing Non-medical support service delivered via Link Workers embedded in GP surgeries and schools across Sheffield, connecting young people to community activities such as sports, arts, volunteering, and social groups. Evaluated by the University of East London with a social return on investment of £1:£5.04.
• Careers Guidance Independent, impartial careers advice and guidance delivered by fully qualified Careers Advisors in schools across Sheffield, helping young people explore options, complete Individual Development Plans, and transition into education, training, or employment.
• Employability Support Employment coaching and programmes for young people aged 16+ who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), providing 1:1 support from Employment Coaches, job placements, and progression pathways.
• Summer Jobs Programme Six-week paid work experience scheme for young people aged 16-20 at risk of youth violence, delivered in partnership with UK Youth and funded by the Youth Endowment Fund and Youth Futures Foundation. The programme engaged 500 young people in 2024 and runs from July to September 2025.
• NextGen Consulting (Youth Consultants) Paid youth consultancy service placing young advisors as consultants to help businesses improve hiring, retention, and workplace inclusivity for younger employees, offering youth-proofing of documents, training delivery, panel participation, and youth-led projects.
• Early Support Hub (Hublets) Community outreach programme delivering 3-session group workshops ('Hublets') in schools and youth groups across Sheffield, focused on mental health awareness, coping strategies, and signposting, with a focus on North East Sheffield as an area of high deprivation.
• Star House Venue Hire Commercial venue hire service offering meeting rooms, events space, and offices to rent at the Star House community hub at 43 Division Street, Sheffield, with sector discounts for public sector and VCFSE organisations. Revenue is reinvested in local youth services.
• Peace Education Programme Ten-session weekly workshop programme (hour-long sessions on Thursdays) for 18-26 year olds, using videos, arts, music, and reflection to explore peace, self-awareness, dignity, hope, and contentment, delivered at Star House in partnership with the Templeton World Charitable Foundation.
• Futures Film School Eight-week film production programme for young filmmakers aged 18-25 delivered in partnership with Goons Production, The Kurious, All Film, Pole Lighting, and Sheffield Hallam University, with industry workshops, Q&A sessions, and a public screening of resulting short films.

Quantifiable outcome

• Social prescribing for young people generates a £1:£5.04 social return on investment, exceeding adult services averages
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UK YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2025Sheffield Futures partners with UK Youth to deliver The Summer Jobs Programme in Sheffield — a six-week paid work experience scheme for young people aged 16-20 at risk of youth violence. The programme runs from July to September 2025. UK Youth leads the national programme funded by the Youth Endowment Fund, Youth Futures Foundation, and DCMS, with Sheffield Futures as the local delivery partner.
• Sheffield Primary Care Networks (PCNs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Futures Social Prescribing Link Workers are embedded in 6 PCNs: Peak Edge, Porter Valley, University of Sheffield, SAPA5, Network North, and Don Valley. PCNs co-fund social prescribing positions. Additionally worked with Foundry PCN for a Summer Programme.
• Foundry PCNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Futures partnered with Foundry PCN in Summer 2024 to deliver a Social Prescribing Summer Programme, expanding reach into additional GP surgery networks.
• Big AmbitionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBig Ambitions was a delivery partner on the Feel Well, Work Well (FWWW) programme, which was co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and concluded at the end of 2023.
• Rotherham United Community Sports TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotherham United Community Sports Trust partnered with Sheffield Futures on the Feel Well, Work Well programme, supporting young people across the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority region with combined employability and mental health support.
• Rotherham and Barnsley MINDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotherham and Barnsley MIND was a delivery partner on the Feel Well, Work Well programme, providing mental health support integration alongside employability coaching.
• Goons ProductionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoons Production teamed up with Sheffield Futures Young Advisors to deliver Futures Film School — an 8-week film production programme for filmmakers aged 18-25, culminating in two short films screened on 4 May 2024.
• The KuriousminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kurious was a programme partner for Futures Film School 2024, contributing industry workshop sessions and expertise to young filmmakers aged 18-25.
• All FilmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Film was a programme partner for Futures Film School 2024, providing film industry expertise and workshop sessions alongside Goons Production and Sheffield Futures.
• Pole LightingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPole Lighting was a programme partner for Futures Film School 2024, contributing to industry workshop sessions for young filmmakers.
• Sheffield Hallam UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Hallam University was a programme partner for Futures Film School, providing film industry connections and Q&A sessions with directors and filmmakers.
• Peace Education Programme (TPRF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Peace Education Programme by the Templeton World Charitable Foundation is delivered at Star House by Sheffield Futures. Ten weekly hour-long workshops (Thursday 12:30-1:30pm) for 18-26 year olds covering peace, appreciation, inner strength, self-awareness, dignity, choice, hope, clarity, understanding, and contentment.
• Shakespeare MartineauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShakespeare Martineau was a sponsor of Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025, marking the organisation's 30th anniversary. Sponsorship enabled the free community event at Star House.
• FreethsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFreeths was a sponsor of Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025, supporting the 30th anniversary community event.
• Henry BootminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHenry Boot was a sponsor of Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025, contributing to the 30th anniversary celebration.
• AirmasterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAirmaster was a sponsor of Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025.
• Lead WellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLead Well participated in Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025 by delivering interactive workshops alongside LUSH and Door 43's Health and Wellbeing team.
• Children at the TableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Futures supports Children at the Table's call on the Government to tackle poverty and reform children's mental health support and social care services, informed by research on children from deprived areas being turned away from CAMHS.
• ChilypepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChilypep facilitated a 2024 consultation on a new 18-25 service for Sheffield Health and Social Care, whose research informed Sheffield Futures' decision to trial late-night Thursday openings at Star House.
• BASW England (British Association of Social Workers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiz Howard, Trustee Safeguarding Lead at Sheffield Futures, serves as a Professional Officer with BASW England, linking the charity to national social work professional networks and influencing.
• Institute for Connected Communities, University of East LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ICC at UEL carried out the two-year evaluation of Sheffield Futures' Young People's Social Prescribing pilot, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care.
• Sheffield Youth AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Youth Alliance participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025, representing the local youth sector ecosystem.
• Autism PlusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutism Plus participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025.
• Golddigger TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGolddigger Trust participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025.
• Kooth Digital HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKooth Digital Health participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025, representing digital mental health support services for young people.
• SAYiT SheffieldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAYiT Sheffield participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025, representing LGBTQ+ youth services.
• Sexual Health SheffieldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSexual Health Sheffield participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025.
• The CornerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Corner participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025.
• The Suit WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Suit Works participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025, representing employment-focused youth services.
• Sheffield Communities StrategyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Communities Strategy participated as a stallholder and partner at Sheffield Futures' Community Celebration Day 2025.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Mix: UK charity providing multi-channel support (web, phone, social) for under-25s on mental health, money, work, and relationships. Comparable as a broad youth wellbeing charity with overlapping service areas to Sheffield Futures' Door 43.
• Youth Access: UK membership body for youth information, advice and counselling (YIACS) organisations. Sheffield Futures is a member; comparable as a sector peer representing the same youth advisory/counselling model in the voluntary sector.
• Kooth Digital Health: Digital mental health platform for young people in the UK, offering anonymous counselling and wellbeing support. Comparable as a competitor serving the same young-person mental health segment, though via a digital-first model versus Sheffield Futures' in-person hub approach.

Regional players

• Golddigger Trust: Sheffield-based youth charity offering mentoring and wellbeing support for young people aged 11-25. Comparable as a same-geography youth services peer with overlapping mental health and personal development offerings.
• Autism Plus: Sheffield/South Yorkshire charity supporting people with autism and learning disabilities. Comparable as a regional VCFSE partner in the same ecosystem, addressing overlapping transition and employability needs for vulnerable young people.
• Rotherham and Barnsley MIND: Mental health charity operating across South Yorkshire delivering counselling and wellbeing services. Previously a delivery partner on Sheffield Futures' Feel Well, Work Well programme and directly comparable in mission and geography.
• Big Ambitions: South Yorkshire youth employability charity working with NEET young people. Previously a delivery partner on Sheffield Futures' Feel Well, Work Well programme and directly comparable in the employability/careers segment.
• Chilypep: Yorkshire-based charity amplifying children and young people's voices in decisions affecting them. Comparable as a regional youth participation and voice organisation in the same South Yorkshire ecosystem, referenced as a research partner by Sheffield Futures.
• The Suit Works: Sheffield charity supporting people into employment through interview clothing and employability programmes. Comparable as a local employment-focused youth services partner in the same ecosystem.

Others

• Centre for Social Justice: UK think tank producing influential reports on youth mental health and social policy, with which Sheffield Futures has collaborated. Comparable as an ecosystem participant influencing the same policy and funding environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sheffieldfutures
• Xx.com/shefffutures
• Facebookfacebook.com/sheffieldfutures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles30 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sheffield Futures