Young People need us! Help Matrix Survive Covid-19

Aim: To ensure that Matrix survives the Covid-19 crisis and can continue to launch an exciting Social Enterprise Cafe to support young people

Matrix has been supporting young people across Guildford Borough for 20 years!

The broken, the lonely, the anxious, the hurt...and the bored. And young people's troubles are not going away, in fact right now anxiety levels are rising with the current Covid-19 crisis and even when this is over the difficulties of life and adolescence continue.

‘As professionals, we know that our most vulnerable students can access direct intervention which impacts those young people's ability to succeed at school.’  Pastoral Head, George Abbot School

Matrix entered 2020 with a feeling of excitement as we looked forward to opening our daytime Social Enterprise and After-School Youth Café in the summer - this year of growth would reach more young people than ever before!

However, Covid-19 has hit our fundraising hard meaning that first we must fight to survive! And all this at a time when young people need us more than ever...

Right now the Matrix team are working hard to digitise our support for young people - adapting one-to-one support sessions, social activities and empowering workshops so they can be delivered online. And we fully expect an increase in demand for these services as the crisis escalates 

Young people need us!

We are DETERMINED to meet the needs of young people NOW and when this is all over. So we are asking for support to enable us not only to survive this crisis but to thrive and be able to launch this incredibly exciting new venture. To continue providing a vital service for young people for the next 20 years! This is not only an innovative project, but it embraces collaborative working with churches, schools and business partners across the borough and will engage individuals who have something to give to young people and their community. 

BUT without urgent support and action during these times, we may have to STOP our current support, leaving hundreds of young people without a listening ear, someone to talk to, a place to belong or a safe space to meet. 

Can you help us raise £15,000?

Once through the other side of this crisis, this exciting development will not only provide an after-school Youth Café for young people BUT it will also see a daytime Café open to all you lovely people, set in a beautiful walled garden right in the heart of Guildford. 

Imagine sipping a coffee and enjoying delicious lunch relaxing in the sunshine surrounded by friends, sat on a terrace stretching into the garden and looking out on a walled garden right in the heart of Guildford. All the while knowing that every coffee you purchase supports a young person in need. 

If you can, why not select a reward from the list, alternatively you can donate just donate!

It may be hard to imagine right now, but we all need something to look forward to at the moment – if you can help us, we can all look forward to this exciting venture opening and you can look forward to that cup of coffee in the sunshine!

Don't forget, every cup of coffee you drink will make a contribution that enables us to provide young people with: 

• Work experience, apprenticeships for NEETs and volunteering 
• A safe social space to connect with friends and  positive role-models
• Social and Emotional and Life skills development
• Innovative opportunities such as business or creative workshops

The good news is that you can help! If you are able to help us reach our target now, we can maintain our current support, survive the Covid-19 crisis and when it's all over, offer you an exciting delight from our Café.

Take a look at our menu - we will be rewarding you with delicious delights from the Café (when open) and there are also other exciting opportunities for larger donations, for those who are able to help us.

We all need something to look forward to right now – let’s look forward together!

This project successfully funded on 10th May 2020