Forging Futures

What Forging Futures does

Forging Futures is a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Charity Commission no. 1212304) based in Shamley Green, Surrey, that delivers specialty coffee and hospitality training programmes to young people and adults with learning disabilities and/or who are neurodivergent. The organisation operates a portfolio of four structured programmes: the Cookie Project (a 5-week introductory course), an 11-week Employability Programme, a Barista Skills Programme, and a Supported Internship Programme, delivered at no cost to participants. Training is credentialed through partnerships with Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)-accredited trainers, providing industry-recognised barista and hospitality qualifications alongside employability skills.

The operating model is community-based and labour-intensive, relying on a small team of 1–10 staff and SCA-accredited instructors. Participant progression is supported through a pipeline of local Surrey cafés and hospitality venues that act as placement sites for internships and supported employment. Go-to-market is community-led: outreach is conducted through local schools, parents and carers, community events, and word-of-mouth, with no paid marketing channels described.

As a charity, Forging Futures does not generate commercial revenue from participants. Funding is sourced from donations and charitable giving, with no equity funding rounds, acquisitions, or commercial pricing model disclosed. The asset base consists of human instructional capital, SCA-aligned curriculum, and a local network of partner venues and referral relationships in Surrey.

Name

Forging Futures

Legal name

Forging Futures CIO

Website

https://forgingfutures.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forging Futures is a UK charity in Surrey delivering free specialty coffee and hospitality training programmes to young people and adults with learning disabilities or who are neurodivergent, credentialed through SCA-accredited instructors and local café partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training Services for People with Disabilities

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Life Skills & Transition-to-Adulthood Curriculum (ADL, Vocational, Community) (EDAGAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC), Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee training
• Disability employment programmes
• Supported internships
• Barista skills training
• Vocational training services

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Funding: As a UK registered charity (no: 1212304), Forging Futures relies on donations, fundraising, and charitable funding to sustain operations. The website has a dedicated donation page and invites supporters with fundraising ideas to get in touch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Forging Futures is a UK registered charity that delivers specialty coffee and hospitality training programmes for young people and adults with learning disabilities and/or who are neurodivergent. It sells no commercial products; instead, it offers free training pathways that combine SCA-accredited barista skills instruction with supported work placements and internships, aiming to help participants secure paid employment in the coffee industry.

Product overview

Forging Futures offers a suite of four interconnected specialty coffee and hospitality training programmes designed to create personalised pathways into paid employment for young people and adults with learning disabilities and/or who are neurodivergent. The portfolio includes: The Cookie Project (an introductory 5-week programme for schools), the 11-Week Employability Programme (providing barista skills and work placement), the Barista Skills Programme (SCA-accredited training), and the Supported Internship Programme (extended workplace experience with employer partners). Together, these programmes build skills, confidence, and qualifications leading to sustainable employment outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Cookie Project A 5-week introductory training programme for local Surrey specialist schools and charities that teaches essential barista skills, baking, business, and hospitality. It builds confidence, self-esteem, and self-belief in a fun, supportive setting and is delivered at Forging Futures in Shamley Green.
• Employability Programme An 11-week free part-time programme that combines barista skills training, industry-recognised qualifications, and a supported work placement. The first 5 weeks take place at Forging Futures in Shamley Green on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM, followed by 5 weeks of supported work placement with a matched employer for around 2 hours a day over 3 days (minimum 30 hours total).
• Barista Skills Programme A bespoke barista training programme developed alongside fully accredited Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) trainers and coffee experts. It provides trainees with support, time, adaptations, and meaningful resources to work towards achieving the internationally recognised SCA Barista Skills Foundation Qualification.
• Supported Internship Programme A 6-month to year-long internship programme delivered as a collaborative partnership between Forging Futures, a young adult, their family, their specialist school, and a host employer partner. Trainees spend 15 hours per week in real workplace settings with host employer partners and return to their specialist schools for the remaining two days, with bespoke learning plans, reasonable workplace adjustments, and ongoing post-programme support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% ambition goal: 100% of graduates feel ambitious about their futures
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Gosden House SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGosden House School is a local specialist school that sends students to participate in the Cookie Project programme. A teacher from Gosden House provided a testimonial praising the programme: 'I just wanted to say thank you so very much to you and your lovely team for an amazing first session for the Cookie Squad. They were absolutely blown away.'
• Local Specialist SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForging Futures partners with local Surrey specialist schools to deliver the Cookie Project and Supported Internship Programme. Schools refer students to the charity's programmes and collaborate on creating bespoke learning plans that reflect individual strengths, ambitions, and needs.
• Host Employer PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal employers in Surrey who host trainees during the second phase of programmes (work placements) and supported internships. The charity values employers as equal partners in forging meaningful careers and creating inclusive workplaces. Host employers commit to developing the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make adjustments where needed so everyone can thrive at work.
• SCA (Specialty Coffee Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForging Futures works alongside fully accredited SCA trainers and coffee experts to deliver barista skills training. The curriculum enables trainees to work towards achieving the internationally recognised SCA Barista Skills Foundation Qualification.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Hft: Long-standing UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities, including employment and skills programmes, operating at significantly greater scale than Forging Futures.
• United Response: National charity providing supported employment and vocational services for people with learning disabilities and autism, with structured pathways into paid work analogous to Forging Futures' model.
• Choice Support: UK charity providing supported employment, training and personalisation services for people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs — comparable employment pathway focus.
• Mencap: One of the largest UK learning-disability charities, offering employment support, training and employer engagement programmes that overlap with Forging Futures' employability mission at greater scale.

Direct peers

• DFN Project Search: UK charity dedicated to supported internships for young people with learning disabilities and autism, partnering with employers and education providers — the closest direct analogue to Forging Futures' Supported Internship Programme.
• Aspirations: Provider of specialist further education and training for young people with SEND, including employability programmes — comparable target audience and curriculum design.

Regional players

• Camphill Communities: UK network of intentional communities providing education, training and work opportunities for people with learning disabilities, sharing Forging Futures' vocational ethos.
• Surrey Choices: Surrey-focused provider of day services, supported employment and learning-disability programmes, directly competing with Forging Futures in the same local authority footprint.

Others

• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA): Industry body whose accredited trainers co-design Forging Futures' curriculum and whose qualification pathway underwrites the barista-skills credential — not a competitor but a critical enabling partner for any replication.

Emerging players

• Pret Foundation (with DFN): Pret's supported-internship programme for young people with learning disabilities operating inside a coffee/hospitality employer — directly comparable as a coffee-sector pathway into paid work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/forgingfuturestogether
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forging-futures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Forging Futures