ROCHDALE CONNECTIONS TRUST

What ROCHDALE CONNECTIONS TRUST does

Rochdale Connections Trust (RCT) is a registered UK charity (Charity No: 1074736) founded in 1997 by local Youth Court Magistrates. It operates from a single headquarters on Drake Street in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, and delivers services across Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton, and the Pennines. The organisation runs a portfolio of evidence-based programmes spanning three areas: domestic abuse services (Free From Harm, Respectful Relationships, Amaanat in Respectful Relationships, Haven Project, Caring Dads), children and young people services (Time4Me, A.I.M Mentoring Project, Youth Justice Mentoring, Darnhill Youth Group), and family / wellbeing services (Counselling Service, Mental Health Co-Production Network, Wellbeing Hub for people on probation). Delivery is supported by approximately 24 paid staff and around 70 volunteer mentors, yielding an intensive 1:1 case-load model that paid-only providers cannot replicate at comparable cost.

RCT's business model is dominated by grant and statutory contract funding. Core programme services are free to eligible beneficiaries and are commissioned via grants from the Department for Work and Pensions, the National Lottery, BBC Children in Need, the Garfield Weston Foundation, and local authorities, with additional income from individual donations, legacy giving, fundraising events, and the EasyFundraising retailer scheme. Limited commercial revenue is generated from private counselling at £40 per hour (£480 for a 12-session block) and room hire at £30/hour for large training rooms and £10/hour for small rooms/pods, both of which cross-subsidise free provision. The stated turnover is under £1 million.

The organisation's go-to-market is referral-led and community-embedded. Clients enter through professional referrals (social services, schools, youth justice, probation, health partners) and self-referrals via dedicated online forms, phone (01706 345111), and email. Awareness and fundraising are driven by a website, monthly email newsletters, Facebook, the "Stories of Strength" podcast (created with Action Together), annual White Ribbon Campaign participation, and community events. Outcomes are tracked anecdotally and through satisfaction surveys with reported metrics such as 100% of children reporting greater awareness of safer relationships and 90% reporting improved resilience on the Time4Me programme.

Name

ROCHDALE CONNECTIONS TRUST

Legal name

Rochdale Connections Trust

Website

https://r-c-t.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rochdale Connections Trust is a UK registered charity founded in 1997 that delivers domestic abuse, youth, and family support services across Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton, and the Pennines. It runs evidence-based programmes through 24 staff and ~70 volunteers, funded primarily by grants and statutory contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Domestic abuse support
• Youth mentoring services
• Family counselling services
• Community support charity
• Therapeutic intervention programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochdale

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Funding: RCT receives significant funding from government contracts (DWP), National Lottery, and charitable foundations including Garfield Weston Foundation, BBC Children in Need, and local authority grants.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, legacy giving, Christmas appeals, and community fundraising events. The charity runs regular appeals and accepts donations through PayPal and other channels.
3. Counselling Service Fees: Private counselling sessions at £40 per hour or £480 for a 12-session block. Revenue from paid counselling directly supports free services for vulnerable clients.
4. Room Hire: Revenue from hiring out training rooms (£30/hour for large rooms, £10/hour for small rooms/pods) and counselling rooms to external organisations and individuals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rochdale Connections Trust is a registered charity (Charity No: 1074736) that provides a portfolio of social support services to vulnerable children, young people, adults and families across the Rochdale Borough. Its services span domestic abuse programmes (Free From Harm, Respectful Relationships, Caring Dads, Haven Project, Amaanat), children and young people's therapeutic and mentoring services (Time4Me, A.I.M Mentoring, Youth Justice Mentoring, Darnhill Youth Group), and family services (Counselling, Mental Health Co-Production Network, Wellbeing Hub), plus ancillary offerings such as room hire and a podcast.

Product overview

Rochdale Connections Trust is a charity offering a comprehensive suite of social support services rather than a unified software product. Its portfolio spans three core service areas: Domestic Abuse Services (including Free From Harm, Respectful Relationships, Amaanat in Respectful Relationships, Haven Project, and Caring Dads programmes); Children & Young People Services (encompassing Time4Me therapeutic service, A.I.M Mentoring Project, Youth Justice Mentoring, and Darnhill Youth Group); and Family Services (including Counselling Service, Mental Health Co-Production Network, and Wellbeing Hub). Additional offerings include Room Hire, a Podcast series, and Volunteer Mentor Training. The organization employs a whole-family approach, providing intensive, tailored interventions including mentoring, counselling, group work, and 1:1 sessions across Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton, and The Pennines townships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free From Harm Domestic Abuse Programme A 17-week domestic abuse awareness and recovery programme for women, helping participants build safety, confidence, and resilience.
• Respectful Relationships A six-session motivational course helping participants reflect on relationships, communication, and emotion management.
• Amaanat in Respectful Relationships A culturally adapted 6-week course for South Asian men addressing cultural and religious responsibilities in relationships, with bilingual interpreter support.
• Haven Project A peer support group for women who have experienced or are currently in domestic abuse relationships, providing mental wellbeing activities, workshops, and creative sessions.
• Caring Dads A 17-week programme for men who have used abusive behaviours, helping them take accountability and develop healthier parent-child relationships.
• Time4Me Therapeutic Service A 12-session 1:1 therapeutic service for children aged 5-16 affected by domestic violence, delivered by Counsellors or Play Therapists.
• A.I.M Mentoring Project A National Lottery-funded mentoring and support programme for young people aged 11-18 affected by domestic violence, including 1:1 sessions, trauma support, and after-school youth clubs.
• Youth Justice Mentoring A volunteer-led mentoring programme supporting young people aged 11-18 involved in or at risk of anti-social behaviour or criminal activity, funded by Youth Justice Services.
• Darnhill Youth Group A weekly youth group for ages 11-18 in Darnhill providing a safe space with cooking, physical activities, creative sessions, and life skills development.
• Counselling Service Affordable private counselling offering confidential support for abuse, anxiety, depression, bereavement, relationships, and other challenges at £40 per session or £480 for a 12-session block.
• Mental Health Co-Production Network A network for people with lived experience of mental health issues to share views and ideas through bi-monthly meetings across Rochdale Borough.
• Wellbeing Hub A Greater Manchester-wide service hub for people on probation, offering activities and support to help make positive life changes, delivered in partnership with Sanctuary Trust.
• Room Hire Training rooms and meeting spaces available for hire at the Drake Street premises, including large rooms (20-25 capacity) at £30/hour and small rooms/pods (2-4 capacity) at £10/hour.
• Volunteer Mentor Training A 2-day training programme required for volunteers to work 1-2-1 with young people, including monthly supervision sessions and free monthly training topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of children reported greater awareness of safer relationships
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WHAG (Women's Housing Action Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2024RCT partnered with WHAG for the White Ribbon Campaign 2024, jointly promoting activities to engage men and boys to end violence against women and girls. Collaboration included co-hosting events such as Anti-Harassment Bystander Training with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
• Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (GMVRU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with GMVRU on community safety initiatives. RCT participates in VRU-led events and programmes focused on violence reduction in young people.
• Action TogethercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint podcast creation - RCT's podcast 'Stories of Strength' was created in conjunction with Action Together, focusing on domestic abuse awareness and survivor stories.
• Sanctuary TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to jointly run the Wellbeing Hub for people on probation in Rochdale. RCT and Sanctuary Trust collaborate to deliver activities and support services.
• Living WellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLiving Well delivers engaging short courses at Haven Project sessions covering topics such as Defib & CPR, 5 Ways to Wellbeing, Eating Well, Assertiveness, and Sleeping Well.
• Daisy from ELPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides valuable resilience training to Haven Project group participants.
• EDAC (Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRCT is a proud member of EDAC, a pledge by businesses to support women affected by abuse to enter or re-enter the workplace.
• VSNW (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRCT is a member of VSNW, enabling sharing and learning of best practices with VCSE organisations across the North West.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Direct peers

• Home-Start: UK family support charity using trained volunteers to help families with young children. Highly comparable to RCT's volunteer-driven mentoring model and whole-family approach in Rochdale.
• Women's Housing Action Group (WHAG): Greater Manchester housing and support charity for women affected by domestic abuse. RCT partnered with WHAG for White Ribbon Campaign 2024 and serves overlapping beneficiaries with comparable DVA advocacy and housing-related support.
• Respect: UK charity running perpetrator programmes and domestic abuse perpetrator interventions, including the Caring Dads model that RCT delivers. Closely comparable as both deliver behaviour-change work with men who have used abusive behaviours.
• Refuge: UK's largest domestic abuse charity providing refuges, advocacy and community services for women and children. Direct peer to RCT's domestic abuse provision, operating at national scale where RCT operates locally in Rochdale.
• Women's Aid: National federation of local domestic abuse services across the UK. Compares to RCT as both deliver frontline DVA support; Women's Aid operates as the umbrella federation that local services like RCT affiliate with.
• Relate: UK's largest provider of relationship counselling and support, including family counselling and relationship education. Comparable to RCT's Counselling Service and Respectful Relationships programmes addressing relationships, communication, and emotions.
• Sanctuary Trust: UK supported living and housing charity for vulnerable adults. RCT partners with Sanctuary Trust to jointly run the Wellbeing Hub for people on probation in Rochdale, and they share overlapping beneficiary populations.
• Victim Support: National charity supporting victims of crime including domestic abuse. RCT has an existing referral partnership with Victim Support Rochdale, and the organizations serve overlapping beneficiaries with overlapping service models.

Broad incumbents

• NSPCC: Major UK children's charity operating across child protection, mental health, and abuse recovery. Comparable to RCT's Time4Me and A.I.M Mentoring services for children affected by domestic abuse, though NSPCC operates nationally across a much broader portfolio.

Others

• Action Together: Greater Manchester infrastructure body supporting voluntary and community sector organisations. RCT co-produces its podcast with Action Together and both operate in the Rochdale VCSE ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0DujOhRw-8cr3LXI6rR-wQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/rochdaleconnectionstrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rochdaleconnectionstrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 ROCHDALE CONNECTIONS TRUST