Breaking barriers, changing lives: The Big Trust's mission across the Liverpool City Region.

At The Big Trust, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to succeed - no matter their background, ability, or the barriers they've faced.

In the Liverpool City Region, thousands of people continue to be held back by poverty, inequality, lack of opportunity, and disadvantage. But we also know that the power to change that reality lies within our communities - especially our businesses.

Our mission is clear: To enhance the life chances of disadvantaged people by challenging, inspiring, and changing the way businesses think, behave and act.

We mobilise the time, talent and resources of the private sector to deliver social value that is practical, impactful, and personal. We work directly with employers to create opportunities for people who may never have thought a stable job or successful life was possible. And together, we're building a region where nobody is left behind.

The hidden potential in our communities

Behind every statistic is a story - a person who wants more from life but doesn't know where to begin. Across our region, we work with:

• Disadvantaged people

People who have grown up in poverty or deprivation, without access to quality education, support networks, or role models. Many are caught in cycles of low opportunity, where surviving day to day replaces any sense of long-term planning.

• People with disabilities

We advocate for and support individuals with physical, mental, and hidden disabilities who are often overlooked by traditional employment systems. Many face low expectations from others, but with the right support, they excel - bringing resilience, creativity, and commitment to the workplace.

• Ex-offenders

We help people who are determined to rebuild their lives after prison. Many want to contribute positively to society but face stigma and lack of opportunity. By helping employers look beyond a criminal record to the person behind it, we unlock second chances and reduce reoffending.

• Young people with no aspirations or hope

There are thousands of young people across Liverpool who feel disconnected from the world of work. They may not have anyone to guide or inspire them. Some have been excluded from school, others are NEET (Not in education, employment, or training), and many are drifting toward crime as a form of identity or escape.

• People on the pathway to crime

Whether through peer pressure, poverty, or a lack of positive direction, many individuals - especially young men - end up on a path that leads to criminal activity. We work to intervene early, providing meaningful alternatives and exposing them to a different future built on purpose, community, and achievement.

Why the Liverpool City region needs us

While the city region is full of opportunity, many are being left behind. The statistics speak volumes:

• Unemployment in Liverpool city is at 7%, significantly higher that the national average.

• Economic inactivity (people not in work and not actively seeking it) stands at 26.1%, again above regional and national levels.

• Across the UK, over 946,000 young people (aged 16-24) are now NEET - a number that continues to rise. Liverpool's inner-city communities are among the hardest hit.

Behind these figures are real lives - people who want to do better but face barrier after barrier. These include trauma, unstable housing, learning difficulties, addiction recovery, criminal records, mental health challenges, and generational poverty. Too often, these challenges overlap, creating a deep web of exclusion.

At The Big Trust, we don't look away from that reality, we step into it.

Our approach: Business as a catalyst for change

The most powerful tool for change is not handouts or temporary solutions. It's employment - meaningful, stable work that brings income, pride, structure, and purpose.

That's where businesses come in.

We support companies of all sizes to become part of the solution - helping them:

• Recruit differently, accessing untapped potential in communities often overlooked by traditional hiring practices.

• Support inclusively, by offering mentorship, upskilling, and understanding that people thrive with the right encouragement.

• Lead boldly, by embedding social impact into their business strategy.

• Grow sustainable, by building strong local relationships and a future-proof workforce.

Our programmes are bespoke, relational, and hands-on. We provide strategic leadership, training, employer engagement support, and a clear link between social good and business success.

Real lives, transformed

The people we work with are not statistics - they're stories of resilience, transformation and hope.

• A young woman who grew up in care, isolated and struggling with mental health, now working full time after completing our supported employment programme.

• A man released from prison, supported into a job with a construction firm, where he's now mentoring others in similar circumstances.

• A teenager disengaged from school and heading towards gang involvement, who now has an apprenticeship and a vision for his future.

• A woman with a hidden disability who had been dismissed by employers for years, now thriving in a supported office role with flexible working.

We don't give people charity - we help them access opportunity. The same opportunity many others take for granted.

The vision: A region where no potential is wasted

Our long-term vision is bold: A Liverpool city region where thriving communities, successful businesses, and empowered individuals go hand in hand. We know this won't happen overnight - but we also know it won't happen at all unless we act.

We are not a charity that "does for" people - we empower individuals to do it for themselves.

What you can do

To the businesses of Liverpool: You are key to this transformation. The greatest social impact you can have is through opening your doors, your time, your teams, and your belief in what people can become.

At The Big Trust, we will walk beside you every step of the way - helping you align purpose with profit, culture with community, and performance with progress.

Together, we can stop the cycle of poverty, disconnection, and crime.

Together, we can lift aspirations.

Together, we can change lives.

📞 Ready to get involved? 07507786201

🌐 Visit us at www.thebigtrust.org

📩 Contact our team to explore partnership opportunities - info@thebigtrust.org

 📣 Follow us on Linkedin, instagram, facebook and X for impact stories and news.

Let's create a Liverpool City region where no one is written off. Because when businesses, communities, and people work together, there's no limit to what we can achieve.