As two more community venues receive the King's Trust treatment, we're pausing to look back at some our past community volunteering projects that young people at IAF have completed and marvel at the impact they have had whilst on programme. Over the years, we've supported many different organisations to improve their facilities and get a makeover funded by the fundraising activities of IAF's young people. From wildlife parks to sensory gardens and churches to care homes, we'v

Poor mental health is something we all experience from time to time and it can be really challenging to navigate complex personal barriers when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed or unsupported. Over the years, we’ve seen more and more young people disclosing poor mental health to us on entry to our support services; in 2025 it was 72% and this year that figure has risen again to a whopping 87% of our service users so what are we actually doing to address this need? Ba

IAF has just officially launched a second youth hub in partnership with ATTFE College and Ashfield DWP and is now set to support around 150 young people through its venue in Sutton Young People’s Centre. Having previously ran our Ashfield King’s Trust Team programme from the SYPC site on Station Road, IAF is returning to its former home with an even stronger support offer for young residents; a dedicated safe space for young people to access non-clinical mental health interve

The STAR method is a tool you can use to answer certain interview or application form question clearly and effectively. It helps you structure answers to questions like “Tell me about a time when…” by breaking your story into four clear parts: 1/ Situation Briefly describe the context of your example. Include who, what, when, and where. Keep this part short using 1–2 sentences. Example: “At my last job, we were preparing for a seasonal product launch and our team fell behind

You’ve landed an interview and now it’s time to prepare. Use this checklist to help you plan ahead so you don’t have any last minute worries on the day! Before the interview day: If you’ve been invited to interview, be sure to confirm the appointment. This allows your potential employer to plan for your arrival and offers you an opportunity to clarify any details/request reasonable adjustments regarding the interview process. If you're applying for lots of roles and need to r

When I first joined the team programme, I was hoping to step outside my comfort zone, learn new skills, and be involved in something that made a difference. Looking back, IAF gave me so much more than that. It became a place where I built confidence, formed lasting friendships, and grew both personally and professionally. I had the opportunity to get involved in a variety of projects that challenged me and helped me grow. One of the highlights was participating in a community

When Kevin* first came to IAF, he joined our Team programme looking to build confidence and employer connections as part of his local job search. He wanted to show he was being productive in his personal development and whilst he was a little unsure at first, he soon settled into the group. Kevin later secured a work experience placement with one of our corporate sponsors, ROMO, and can safely say those 2 weeks were definitely worth it; "I never really had much confidence bef

Harriet* came to IAF looking to explore her career options as she wasn't 100% sure on what she wanted to do. She expressed an interest in a career in childcare but had no experience to help her stand out. Luckily IAF staff are well connected and having previously placed a young person with a local soft play centre, we knew just where to reach out to. Harriet was nervous going to her first shift but felt reassured that Alex, a former Team participant of ours, would also be the

Mansfield Building Society have been longstanding partners of IAF since the beginnings of it's Charitable Trust in 2015 and as one of their first grant recipients, IAF has had the pleasure of watching the trust become a force for positive change in Nottinghamshire. Since those early days, MBS has helped us to deliver mentoring to many young people in Mansfield, ensuring those most vulnerable have support in place to navigate complex personal barrier such as addiction, debt,