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About

What is Spear?

Spear, formerly known as Resurgo, is one of the UK’s most effective youth employment charities. Our vision is for every young person in the UK, regardless of their background, to fulfil their unique potential and contribute to society. And that’s the goal of the Spear Programme.

The award-winning Spear Programme offers young people professionally recognised coaching, for free, to support them into sustainable work or education. They leave Spear equipped to thrive in work and life.

We’ve been running the programme for two decades, supporting more than 11,000 young people at 18 centres across the UK.

Over 70% who complete Spear get into work or education and are still there a year later.

1200+

lives changed each year

20+

years Spear’s been going

Over

70%

in work or study a year on

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“Spear is one of the best things to happen to me. My confidence is different – I’m a new person. Me in 2022 would never have imagined me doing this job.”

Princess, Spear Islington, now a Healthcare Assistant

Young man laughing with mock interviewer

Coaching that changes lives

Spear started in 2003 at St Paul’s church in Hammersmith, London, as a way of connecting with unemployed young people in the local community. Since then, we’ve worked with more than 11,000 young people through the Spear Programme. Over 70% who complete it are in work or study a year later. Find out more about our history.

What makes Spear unique?

Coaching

We offer young people aged 16-24 the type of coaching that business executives get. Our coaching creates deep and lasting change, so young people are ready to work and thrive.

Community

We deliver our programme in partnership with local churches, so we’re rooted in the community and open to all, making a lasting difference in neighbourhoods where it matters.

Impact

Our culture of rigorous measurement and continuous improvement gets results. In 2022, the government’s Data Lab said Spear cuts a young person’s chances of being out of work or education by a fifth.

Connection

We bridge the gap between young people and business, helping each see the value in the other.

Our impact

We measure everything we do, refining our approach based on evidence.

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The Spear Programme

Our award-winning programme supports young people aged 16-24 to find work.

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Ambassadors & trustees

See the people who are backing us.

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Our corporate partners

We put young people in touch with forward-thinking employers.

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“The programme is fantastic, and the Spear trainees are some of the best employees we’ve hired. The reason we partner with Spear is because we’re getting great people, we’re getting great retention, and it is truly life-changing.”

Jess Jones, Nando’s Community Employability Lead

“Spear was one of the first organisations to go through an evaluation with the Data Lab…I am pleased…that the findings from that were really positive…”

Rt Hon Pat McFadden, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

“Spear gets more young people into work and gets them there quicker.”

Impetus, a charity which benchmarked Spear in 2020