The Dusty Knuckle Training CIC

Young people who have been excluded by society and its structures do not have the same access to pro-social and professional opportunities and so risk life-long institutionalisation, a lack of agency and choice, and long-term alienation from society resulting in all manner of ills, including poor health and the exacerbation of cycles of poverty and exclusion. The Dusty Knuckle Training CIC provides a pioneering, real-work training programme in a busy commercial café, kitchen and bakery for young people aged 18-25 that have yet to find their legitimate career path. We work with young people facing barriers to becoming independent adults. Typically, this means young offenders, those leaving the care system, those with insecure housing and those leaving custody. Our aim is to see all young people become participating, socially engaged and independent adults, integrated into positive and professional peer groups. We provide a 12-week training programme, with 1-1 mentoring and support, to trainees. We focus on creating positive change in attitude, aptitude, mental health and access to opportunities, and then support trainees to find ongoing education, employment or training – either in the bakery or elsewhere.