Amazing futures for disabled young people

Aim

We are raising money to help young people with SEND in Sussex be unapologetically themselves.

Everyone should have the same opportunities in life to thrive.  

But for some, life can feel like being stuck in a maze with no way out. Every corner they turn, there’s something else preventing them from achieving their goals.  

Society has put barriers in the way for disabled young people. We need your help in taking them down. 

What we do

We are Amaze, a charity based in Sussex who support families with disabled children and young people. We work with both parents and carers and directly with young disabled people (aged 14-25).  

Amazing Futures helps young disabled people thrive. This project includes running a range of social activities and youth clubs, mental health coaching, a peer support programme, and career support and internships.    

Why does it matter

Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are more likely to be socially excluded due to a lack of specialist support services in the community.  

According to research by Sense, 70% of young disabled people report being lonely (Sense 2021). Young disabled people are also twice as likely to not be in work, education, or training after they leave school (ONS 2021) than peers without a disability.  

Amazing Futures seeks to address these issues by equipping young people with the confidence and skills to lead active and fulfilling lives.  

How we help

“Before I found Amazing Futures, I felt sick, anxious and lonely. I’ve made a lot of friends at Amazing Futures – I hadn’t been able to make them before.” 

Last year, Amazing Futures supported over 350 young people across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex.  

We help disabled young people exit the maze by running a variety of different activities, helping them make friends and gain new skills.  

Why your support matters

Rising costs for charities means that the work we do, like Amazing Futures could be at risk. As a charity we receive some support from councils and the NHS, but it doesn’t cover the costs of making our work happen.  

We need your support to help keep Amaze running. Your donations will go towards our Amazing Futures project, helping tackle the barriers society has placed for young disabled people.  

With your support we will give disabled young people in Sussex: 

• social groups where they can take part in a range of activities, make friends and gain social skills, 
• peer support provided by trained volunteers which builds confidence and leadership skills, 
• emotional wellbeing support, helping them to take positive steps to improve their health and access local services, 
• careers advice and guidance to help them achieve specific goals around employment, education and training, 
• a safe place where they can have their voices heard, valued, and self-advocacy improved.

“Thank you for all the hard work and enthusiasm you put into the amazing futures groups, without which my son’s life would be very limited.  He never comes home from one of the sessions without a smile on his face.” 

Your donations, doubled

Thanks to the support of the Aviva Community Fund, any donations you make will be doubled. This gives us double the opportunity to raise money to help disabled young people thrive.

Thank you for your support.

This project successfully funded on 28th May 2024