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,

If you've never had a mentoring appointment before, you might be wondering what you're supposed to say, worried about what they will ask or whether you need to have a big plan for your future already. In this blog, we want to put your mind at ease - no one is expecting you to have all the answers, that's why we're here to help you work through things one small step at a time. What is mentoring? Mentoring may sound very formal but a mentoring appointment is a chance to have a

Building works continue at the hub so our reduced timetable is still in operation. This week you can look forward to: Dungeon's and Dragons: Join Mark and the adventuring party on Tuesday as they face new challenges and level up their characters. Wilmott Dixon information session: Come and say hello to the friendly team at Wilmott Dixon this Wednesday as they share advice and opportunities in the construction industry. Indoor sports with Jordan: Pre-empting the wet weather, t

Sleep is a really important factor in maintaining our health but can be pretty tricky to manage when you've got a lot going on. Your brain is saying 'I need to get to sleep because I've got to be up early' which suddenly makes it even harder to switch off and despite your best attempts it's getting later and later. You might not get a perfect night's sleep every night but there are things you can try to help you get better quality rest when you do. Start simple with a sleep r

More money going out than coming in? The cost of living crisis has hit us all and as bills slowly get more expensive, it can feel like you're constantly trying to catch up. If you've started to miss payments or have been faced with a big unexpected cost, don't ignore it and hope it sorts itself out. That will often only make things more stressful later and there are steps you can take now to get support. Prioritise the bills that matter most A useful starting point is to thin

Getting your first payslip can be confusing and you might look at it and wonder why the amount in your bank doesn't match what you thought you'd be paid. Usually this is easily explained as the amount you're paid, and what is advertised on the job description, doesn't mention the deductions for things like national insurance, pensions or student loan repayments so let's break it down... If you're an employee at an organisation, you should receive a payslip around the same ti

Young carers tend to have a lot on their plate and it can bring up a lot of emotions as you juggle helping at home, checking in during the done and trying to concentrate on your own homework, training or job. If you're finding it difficult to balance everything in your life, you are not failing. Caring for others can take a lot of time and energy and it's completely understandable if it affects your education, work or plans for the future. One of the hardest things about bein

If you're a young parent thinking about starting work, increasing your work house or getting back into education, childcare can feel like one of the biggest topics to navigate and figure out. How much will it cost? Who will look after my child? Can Universal Credit help? How do I actually apply? All these questions can feel like a lot to figure out on your own so this article explains the main childcare options here in the UK and what support there is around Nottinghamshire f

Having a baby changes pretty much everything - including what you need from a job. Maybe you're ready to start working but are worried about childcare or maybe you're struggling to see how you are supposed to work when you have a baby to care for. The good news is that you don't have to figure it all out at once. There are many different types of work and ways of working that you can try until you find something that works for you and your family. What kind of work could work