A key aspect of The Challenge Programme is teams of young people designing and delivering a social action project focused on a community issue they care about.

During the “Real Challenge” our young people will visit a local business to meet with professionals, possibly for the first time in their lives.  They will also pitch their ideas for a social action project to a panel of ‘Dragons’ in a bid to secure funding.  We need support from respected businesses and business leaders. 

Host a professional visit

• At your offices
• 1 hour commitment
• Includes:
  -  a tour of your office (if appropriate)
  -  insight into the work you do, including daily tasks of employees
  -  Space where the team can discuss their social action project idea and receive feedback

Be on ‘Dragon’ on a funding panel

• Outside the office
• 3-4 hour commitment
• An opportunity for business leaders to provide constructive and encouraging feedback on the social action project pitches that the young people present. 

Email us: info@the-challenge.org

Through The Challenge, we partner with a wide range of local charities and community organisations to help young people understand what local people are doing to tackle important issues and meet local needs.

Teams of young people work alongside charities and community organisations to design and deliver projects that have a lasting impact.

We are looking for community partners who can provide one or all of the following opportunities for our young people:

• Host a skills sharing workshop
• Support sponsorship projects
• Facilitate social action days

Host a skills sharing workshop

• On your premises
• 2 day commitment (a maximum of 2 hours each day)
• An opportunity for a small team of young people to meet and get to know your service users through running skills workshops. 

Support a sponsorship project

• On your premises
• 1 hour commitment
• A chance to inspire and excite the young people about the work you do as they campaign, raise funds and volunteer for your organisation. Meeting service users and sharing real life stories help add to the success of the visit

Facilitate a social action day

• On your premises (or a location of your choice)
• 1 day commitment (6 hours of volunteering time on a weekend day in September)
• Co-design a social action day that has a clear benefit to your organisation and will be a satisfying experience for the young people.
• In addition, we can provide a financial contribution towards the organisation of this day.

Long term partnership

After graduating from The Challenge, young people join our year-round programme The Challenge Society, which includes signposting young people towards year-round volunteering opportunities.  We would love to develop a long-term partnership with you where young people are given the chance to support the work you do on an on-going basis. Contact us to find out more.

Email us: info@the-challenge.org

We work with outdoor education centres to help deliver our ‘Personal Challenge’ curriculum. We are looking for providers who can offer an outdoor adventure experience that will help bond teams of young people who have never met each other.

The activities need to be challenging enough to test individual and team boundaries and support personal development. Examples of activities include kayaking, mountaineering, hiking and gorge walking.

To read more about our requirements please download our Partner Introduction document.

Click here to fill in our Expression of Interest Form and email the completed form to personalchallenge@the-challenge.org

Email us: info@the-challenge.org

Residential accommodation

During the second week of The Challenge programme, young people stay in residential accommodation. For many, this is their first experience of living away from home independently.

We are looking for residential accommodation that:

• Accommodates up to 75 people within the same vicinity
• Provides separate male and female blocks (made up of single rooms with ensuite facilities)
• Facilitates quick changeovers between groups arriving and departing at different times
• Has the following facilities on site:
  -  A large hall which can be used between 7- 9pm
  -  5 small rooms which can be used between 7- 9pm

Daytime venues

We are looking for daytime venues that:

• Can accommodate up to 70 people in one place
• Has the following additional facilities on site:
  -  5 small rooms that hold up to 15 people
  -  A shared kitchen

Email us: info@the-challenge.org