West Lancashire
Children and Young People, Grants to charities
Support for young people with special educational needs in Blackpool
A hundred young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Blackpool will receive enhanced support thanks to a grant from West Lancashire Freemasons to The Boathouse Youth’s Pathway Programme.
The £60,000 grant will strengthen the Pathway Programme, which provides structured, specialist support for children and young people with additional needs who attend The Boathouse Youth. The programme focuses on building confidence, independence, life skills and emotional resilience in a safe, inclusive environment.
The Pathway Programme offers tailored sessions designed to meet individual needs, including small group activities, one-to-one support, social development work, and practical life-skills training. For many young people, the programme provides a consistent and supportive space where they can develop friendships, improve communication skills and gain greater independence.
Across Blackpool, many families of children with SEND face limited access to specialist youth provision outside of school hours. The Pathway Programme helps bridge that gap, offering structured activities that promote wellbeing, reduce social isolation and support long-term personal development.
The £60,000 grant will enable The Boathouse Youth to:
- Expand specialist SEND sessions across its centre
- Increase staffing to provide enhanced one-to-one support or group sessions.
- Deliver targeted life-skills and independence training
- Provide sensory-informed and inclusive activities
- Support families through guidance and signposting
By investing in inclusive youth provision, the Pathway Programme aims to improve long-term outcomes for young people with SEND and ensure they have the opportunity to thrive socially, emotionally and practically.
We’re extremely grateful to West Lancashire Freemasons for this generous support. The Pathway Programme plays a vital role in helping young people with additional needs grow in confidence, develop independence and feel fully included in their community. This funding will allow us to enhance the quality and reach of our provision, ensuring more young people in Blackpool can access the specialist support they deserve.
We’re proud to support The Boathouse Youth and its Pathway Programme. Projects like this provide meaningful opportunities for young people with special educational needs to build skills, confidence and independence in a supportive setting. The impact extends beyond the individual young person to their families and the wider community.
