It helps to have guidance and support when facing big life choices.
Many of the people we support are not just facing one big issue, but several.
Like homelessness, unemployment, and debt.
These difficulties can be complex and compound one another. This can leave people stuck and unsure how to move their life forward.
Our projects are flexible enough to help people with whatever they’re going through. Like This Way Up, a mindfulness and life coaching wellbeing course to help give people tools to be more resilient and work on their life goals.
Or Move on Up, our project that combines affordable housing with one-to-one support to help young carers to manage independently and take their next steps in life.
In this section: • Move on Up • Down to Earth • 10 years of This Way Up • Natalie's Story •
Move on Up
Many young carers struggle to gain independence and move out of home due to their caring responsibilities. They can also be at increased risk of problems like homelessness and mental health difficulties.
Having a supportive environment, which is often the first time living away from their family can give them the chance to claim their own life and independence.
Move on Up is the first supported housing project for young adult carers in the UK. We provide four flat shares in London, combined with one-to-one support to help them manage their residencies and the challenges that come with being a young carer. We also help them to make their next steps in work, education or training.
This year we supported 19 young adult carers in total with supported housing.
Down to Earth
Our Down to Earth project supports people struggling with funeral costs.
We provide the only UK-wide funeral costs helpline, offering expert advice to help people reduce costs and raise money.
Since launching in 2010 we have helped 5,869 people through our helpline.
In 2021-22 we helped 723 people through our helpline and 11,772 people viewed our online funeral guidance resources.
For cases where we have financial information from clients, Down to Earth’s advice helped clients save an average of £1,822 against the cost of a funeral and raised an average of £2,451 towards funeral-related expenses.
Campaigning against funeral poverty
We also share insights and the voices of people we support, campaigning to raise awareness of funeral poverty and the structural factors that cause it.
This year we:
- shared evidence with the UK Commission on Bereavement which gives recommendations to government on how to better support people affected by bereavement
- investigated public health funeral provision across the UK, exposing local authorities for not carrying out their legal duty or meeting government guidelines
- raised awareness of this investigation and funeral poverty through the mainstream media including the Guardian, BBC Radio 4 and inews
- created a free online funeral wishes planner that helps people to make price-informed funeral choices in advance
- created a simple explainer video to educate and spread awareness on funeral poverty
Funeral price transparency campaign success
After years of campaigning from QSA and our partners, a full-scale investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority resulted in a legal requirement around price transparency for UK funeral directors. As a result, people should be able to see clear pricing up front, helping them to shop around and reduce costs.
Celebrating 10 years of This Way Up
This Way Up uses a unique combination of group mindfulness sessions and individual life coaching to support people on a low income. This helps people to develop self-awareness and emotional resilience to take steps towards their goals in life.
Starting in 2012, This Way Up has helped a total of 479 people over 186 sessions.
In 2021-22, we provided 472 hours of support, helping 68 people.
Tim Segaller founded the course. He: “wanted to take the transformative benefits of coaching and mindfulness to people who normally can’t access it.”
Over the 10 years demand for the service has grown. It also expanded its service to include online sessions during the pandemic, a men only introductory trial course and a drop-in service for past participants.
Tim says “I’m most proud of the fact that it does genuinely seem to help people…that there’s a substantial proportion of people where it seems to be a very significant experience in their lives, often leading to other things, so it’s just the beginning of something for them.”
Natalie's Story
“I’ve never forgotten”
In 2015, Natalie was trying to come to terms with her beloved father’s terminal illness. Although she hadn’t lost him yet, her grief had already begun.
During this time, she joined the This Way Up wellbeing course. This helped her to manage the painful feelings she was facing through mindfulness practices.
“Tim says, go with it. Don’t put it aside and avoid it. Go with it. And you’ll find your way though. And that’s what I’m doing.”
She was inspired by the course and the mindfulness she learnt there. This started her on a “big journey,” deepening her mindfulness knowledge and practice and through other courses.
But life was still hard for Natalie.
She has bipolar disorder and found herself in a dark place. Six years on from starting This Way Up, she happened to find a letter that she had written to herself as a part of the course:
“I’ve never forgotten. And when I saw that letter and it was all yellowed out…I was feeling a bit low and I looked and it said there that it was possible for me to do anything I wanted to do. Anything I could put my mind to, I could do.”
Not only did this message help Natalie find the strength to carry on, but thrive.
Today she is the proud author of three books about her life and mindfulness. She holds a certification in life coaching and several community roles supporting people including those with terminal illness.
“Tim truly supported me through the whole thing. Even when I rang him six years later, he knew who I was, knew what I was going through. And I thanked him so much for where I am today.”