Successful Applicants Announced for the DENSO JCE Grant
We are delighted to announce the successful applicants of the DENSO JCE Grant, which supports grassroots organisations working with young people to overcome barriers and build brighter futures across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.
Generous investments from partners like DENSO Automotive UK Ltd and JCE and Sons Ltd demonstrate how powerful business-led philanthropy can be when companies come together to make a lasting difference.
Through the DENSO JCE Grant, we are championing local groups that are creating opportunities, developing skills and helping young people take confident steps towards education, employment and training.
The £20,000 fund, managed by SCF, focuses on young people aged 16–25 years who face barriers to education, employment and training, including care leavers, home-educated young people and those growing up in areas of high deprivation.
As the number of home-educated children continues to rise, so too does the need for flexible, local and inclusive support. This funding helps ensure that young people who may not follow traditional education pathways can still access meaningful opportunities, develop valuable life skills and find routes into future careers.
The following organisations have been awarded funding:
The Cavalier Centre’s ‘Strides Forward’ pilot won a grant of £1,836 to support 16–25‑year‑olds facing educational disengagement or SEND needs through equine‑assisted learning. The therapeutic setting near high‑deprivation areas enables young people to develop resilience and wellbeing while preparing for education, training or employment pathways.
Crane Quality Counselling have been awarded £6,095 to provide counselling and emotional support for 25 young people facing isolation, deprivation or disrupted education. Through tailored therapeutic sessions delivered in homes, schools or community settings, the programme builds confidence, emotional stability and readiness for education, training or employment.
The fund awarded £3,000 to Fordhall Community Land Initiative for their ‘Upskilling in Nature’ project delivering 12 monthly outdoor sessions for home‑educated young people. Participants gain teamwork experience, confidence and employability skills while engaging in nature‑based tasks that connect them to environmental issues and local rural work opportunities.
Ludlow and Area Community Partnership supports young residents of Ludlow Foyer through tailored employability, life skills and confidence‑building sessions. The funding of £4,500 also helps a professional chef delivers practical cooking workshops promoting sustainable food knowledge and hospitality pathways and a market‑stall showcase helps builds confidence and community engagement.
Elevate Youth, Telford and Wrekin CVS, is a youth‑led SEND empowerment group supporting 13 autistic and neurodivergent young people to build independence, life‑skills and confidence. The £2,569 awarded will help to fund staffing, venues, refreshments and a yearly advocacy trip, helping members develop sensory resources, influence services and grow their group.
Each of these organisations is doing vital work within their communities, offering practical support, mentorship and opportunities that can transform a young person’s confidence and future prospects.
By working in partnership with businesses and local charities, the fund ensures that support reaches young people across the county, helping develop their potential and equipping them with the skills and confidence to shape their own futures.
As more businesses step forward to support initiatives like this, the momentum behind Shropshire Community Foundation’s work with young people continues to grow.
