In Totton, on the edge of the New Forest, many local people face daily challenges that go unnoticed: poverty, long-term illness, poor mental health, and social isolation.
Youth and Families Matter (YFM), a grassroots charity based in the town, has worked for over 30 years to meet these challenges head-on. Their team offers life-changing support to up to 300 people each week: families, children, and vulnerable adults, all with the same goal – to help individuals develop the skills, confidence, and resilience to thrive.
In 2023, YFM received a grant for just under £16,000 from the Charles Burnett Memorial Fund ‘New Forest Skills Booster’ programme, administered by HIWCF. The fund supports local organisations that use education to build stronger, more resilient communities across the New Forest – something Charles Burnett himself was incredibly keen to support. With this funding, YFM launched WILD (Lives Reimagined Without Constraints), a new programme designed to support people with complex barriers to work, education, or community participation.
Participants joining WILD often face multiple and overlapping challenges. They may be living in poverty, struggling with mental ill-health, navigating the world with special educational needs, or be care-experienced adults. Many have experienced rejection or felt overlooked by mainstream education or employment support services. WILD is tailored to them.
The programme combines emotional coaching, life skills training, and outdoor learning in a way that’s both accessible and empowering. Each six-week theme focuses on a specific set of skills like cooking, budgeting, communication, or emotional literacy and the sessions are delivered weekly during term time. Crucially, each theme culminates in a hands-on outdoor session in the New Forest. These trips help participants apply what they’ve learned, discover new environments, and connect with nature- often for the first time in years.
Debbie Murray from YFM said: “WILD is about meeting people where they’re at. The programme helps build people’s capabilities, but first begins by opening their mindset towards learning new things. I’m thrilled when people tell me they’re going out more and have more confidence to try things as a result of WILD.”
Participants are supported to build practical independence and develop confidence in managing daily life. Over time, the project aims to open up routes into volunteering, community involvement, and even employment or further learning.
Early signs of impact are promising. Participants have described feeling “seen” for the first time and say the sessions give them something positive to look forward to. Others report being more confident in communicating, budgeting, or preparing food for their families. For many, WILD is a lifeline.
A WILD trainee said: “WILD has helped me believe in myself and my choices. I feel like it’s given me the ability to accept my limitations, but not be limited by them.”
Projects like WILD are vital in areas like Totton, where cost-of-living pressures, a shortage of affordable housing, and poor mental health are deeply felt. Through community-led learning, YFM is not only meeting immediate needs – it’s helping people imagine and build better futures.
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