Our programmes & Services
Service:
The Step Together Team Operates on geographical routes across Wolverhampton, before and after the school day. The service is during term time, The Team walks along the identified school route, and supports the safety of young people to and from school.
The Team being visual and active on the route helps to reduce or prevent the numbers of school children from being:
Victims of crime
Exploited by negative influences
Groomed
EYES Step Together Team:
Develop relationships with young people
Offer a point of safety
Diffuse and deescalate in the event of incident or rising community tensions.
Collaboration
The Public Health Approach is cooperated in this service; EYES is a link within the multi-agency network.
The team plays a critical role in supporting young people on their route on the way to school and their journey after school. The service is not delivered in isolation.
Partners
Violence Reduction Partnership
Collaboration
Local Businesses
General Public
Schools
Neighbourhood Policing Teams
Multi-agency network
To ensure robust information sharing to safeguard young people. Locations are determined by local multi-agency partnerships such as Police and School Panels and VRP Locality Networks.
School Route Times:
1pm-5pm
Duration: School Term
Step Together is a Home Office funded national pilot Programme with local implementation led by the VRP(Violence Reduction Partnership) It seeks to connect Education, Police and Community Partners in a collaborative project designed to increase safety and reduce violent crime towards young people along designated school routes at the start and end of the school day.
NX-Ave Programme Overview
The NX-Ave Programme is a youth-focused intervention, mentoring, and development programme for young people and young adults. It incorporates trade-skills learning, creative expression, life skills, and mentoring. The goal of NX-Ave is to build confidence, promote emotional wellbeing, and provide practical skills for personal and professional growth of the young people accessing this project. The objective is to input resilience and support young people to sustain that resilience enabling them to move forward accessing further opportunities that will empower them. Opportunities that give them a sense of purpose, achievement and inspiration to build positive lives.
Programme Elements
Delivery: two elements in parallel throughout each year:
1. Mentoring & Peer Support
2. Skills Development: Trade, Creative, and Life Skills
Delivery Format & Frequency
Each Cycle includes four group cycles of 10–15 participants per group. Each cycle runs for 12 weeks (11 weeks of active delivery and 1 week of celebration and progression planning). A new group begins in weeks 11, 21, 31, and 41 of the year.
Participants engage 3 days per week for 4 hours each day, ensuring flexible yet consistent support.
Activities Include:
Trade Skills Development (Plumbing, plastering, carpentry, tiling, painting, spray painting)
Creative Expression via Real Talk Podcasting
Mentoring Support and Peer Coaching
Life Skills Workshops (communication, budgeting, goal setting)
Creating a Support Group Environment
Delivery Breakdown
12 weeks delivery + 1 week progression/celebration per group
3 sessions per week, 4 hours each
Monitoring & Evaluation Method
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Baseline: Wellbeing & aspirations consultations (Week 1)
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Ongoing: Attendance, reflection journals, case studies (Weekly)
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Midpoint Review: Progress review & mentor feedback (Week 5)
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End of Year Evaluation: Feedback, skills audit, case studies (Week 10)
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Post-Project Follow-Up – 3 & 6-month outcome tracking
NX-Avenue Young People Feedback
I am home schooled and have been referred onto the NX-Avenue programme. At first, I was unsure if this was the right place for me considering I have been out of school for a while and wondered if this would be another form of school
environment. Since being on this programme, I have noticed a change in my behaviour and mindset to which is completely different from when I was in school but now, I feel
confident with expressing myself with the help of the EYES support workers.
EH aged 14yrs
I have been homed schooled for seven years and never thought I would be back in any form of education until I heard about the NX-Avenue programme. Since joining the programme, I have gained hands on experience in the trades department such as Plastering and Painting and decorating. With this experience I now decorate for friends and family as well as help out a professional Painter and Decorator on the odd days. I must give a big shout out to EYES and would recommend this programme to every young person who are unsure with where they want to be.
DD aged 15yrs
Being on the NX-Avenue has given me a whole new prospect on life considering I was in a bad place when I joined the programme. My confident was at its lowest and my mental health was not in a good place. Since I have been on the NX-Avenue programme I have gained confidence and some good friends along the way that I would have never have met. I have also gained myself a ASDAN certificate which is my only qualification I have gain throughout my time being in education.
LH aged 17
Good afternoon, Dave and all involved at NX-Avenue,
I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the amazing work that you are doing with our young people. I am not going to name the pupil, in case you wanted to use this email later as feedback, which I am happy for you to do.
I have just spoken to the mom of one of our EHE pupils, and she has given me some amazing feedback regarding the NX-Avenue programme that her daughter is currently attending with you guys.
When I spoke to Mom back in February, she was overwhelmed with worry and fear for what lay ahead for her daughter due to the ill treatment she had suffered at the hands of bullies at school. Her daughter’s mental health was not in a good place, and she was not eating and losing weight.
Since starting the NX-Avenue programme, Mom has said that her daughter is like a different girl – happy, confident, and excited about life again! She has made new friends and has really enjoyed learning all of the trade skills you have on offer. Mom has told me that her daughter has even glossed a couple of doors at home, as well as painted two rooms at her dad’s house! Mom has said that her daughter has described the team at NX-Avenue as her “second family”. Mom was so proud to read the report that you sent out for her daughter, and she was quite tearful on the phone to me when speaking about the positive difference you guys are making in her life.
What an amazing impact you are having in such a short space of time too. It is also fantastic to hear that you are looking to continue supporting this pupil by providing exit options, as well as extending her placement so that she can keep growing in confidence.
Thank you.
Rebecca Collins
Elective Home Education and Travelling Children Officer
City of Wolverhampton Council
Ashmore Park Hub
Willenhall
Walsall
SOS Service
SOS Service Winter Wonderland
Wednesfield
Bilston
Heath Park
Workshop
EYES delivers Outreach Services for the Local Authorities of Walsall and Wolverhampton
Learn a trade. Build a future. Own your success
Introducing the SkillzUp Learn a Trade Project for young people 14-18 year old in or out of education.
Your future. Your skills. Your way.
The SkillzUp Enterprise Project is more than just a training programme it’s a movement to empower young people to learn real, practical skills and turn them into opportunities.
What We Do:
We deliver hands-on trade training in areas like carpentry, plumbing, plastering, tiling, bricklaying, hair & beauty, giving young people the tools to build careers or start their own businesses.
Why It Matters:
We know traditional routes aren’t for everyone. That’s why we combine industry-recognised certifications with our workshops on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and soft skill enabling young people can shape their futures with confidence.
Who It's For:
If you’re aged 14-18 and ready to change your story, this is for you. Whether you're unemployed, out of education, or just need a fresh start SkillzUp is your next chapter.
Today I had the pleasure of taking a group of our Year 10 students to a painting and decorating workshop. It was fantastic to see them rolling up their sleeves (quite literally) to learn practical skills, explore the world of trades, and discover how rewarding a hands-on career can be. Opportunities like this open young people’s eyes to pathways outside of the school curriculum they might never have considered — and who knows, today might have sparked the start of someone’s future business. A huge thank you to the team who ran the session for their time, expertise and encouragement. Let’s keep breaking down stereotypes around vocational routes and show students the huge value in skilled trades.
- Liam Wall (Ormiston SWB Academy)