We’re delighted to share we’ve renewed our partnership with three organisations who first joined our portfolio through our Connect Fund: Generation UK, IMO Charity and Sister System.

At Impetus, one way in which we support high-potential organisations is through our ring-fenced, themed funds which allow us to tackle key challenges facing young people. The Connect Fund sits within our broader work on race equity and diversity; it aims to decrease the employment gap faced by young people from ethnic minority, disadvantaged backgrounds. Through this work, we aim to promote systemic change towards a more racially equitable society.

Our Investment team has worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Generation UK, IMO Charity and Sister System, since they joined our portfolio in 2022. Together, we have refined these organisations’ missions and launched impact-led programmes, laying the foundation for them to support more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Reinvestment is a key pillar of our approach: we don’t just offer one-off funding; we support organisations at every stage of their journey to drive systemic change. We reinvest in those demonstrating strong progress, ensuring they continue to grow and deliver lasting impact.

These organisations have:

• A clear, ambitious mission to drive change for young people
• With measurable progress towards their goals

Generation UK, IMO Charity and Sister System are the first from the Connect Fund to receive reinvestment, proving the fund's sustainability and ability to provide ongoing support to organisations making a real difference.

Generation UK

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are 50% more likely to be not in employment, education or training (NEET) than their similarly qualified but better-off peers. Generation UK is changing that.

Generation UK deliver eight full-time, 9–12-week bootcamps in tech, healthcare and green skills, followed by placement support. We have worked with Generation UK to refresh their theory of change, which blends technical skills training, wraparound support and employer links to support people into meaningful employment.

This evidence-based approach has led to key strategic decisions based on their target population (prioritising young people facing barriers, without degrees) and long-term outcome (sustained employment above the living wage).

An external evaluation looking at 2019-2022 data shows their outcomes so far are exciting: 71% of Generation learners are employed one year after the programme, compared to 26% before starting; Generation delivers outcomes consistent across different groups – 79% of learners with degrees, compared to 68% without degrees were employed one year after completing the programme.

Although a matched comparison with a control group wasn’t possible, this evaluation provides an exciting validation of the employment outcomes delivered by Generation’s work and is an important milestone in their impact journey. In July 2024, Ofsted rated Generation UK’s programme as ‘outstanding’, validating its quality.

We have partnered with Generation to develop their three-year strategy, which focuses on driving impact through attracting learners who need support and maximising job outcomes through more post-programme support. This will be underpinned by investments to improve understanding of long-term impact.

IMO Charity

When inviting organisations to apply to become our partner in 2022, we prioritised investing in those serving high-need groups, including South Asian young people outside major cities, where tailored support is often lacking.

Inspire, Motivate, Overcome (IMO) Charity is tackling this challenge head-on in Blackburn and Darwen, where 16% of young people are unemployed or economically inactive (excluding students). Founded by Mohammed Tayyab Sidat MBE in 2006, IMO has grown to become the leading youth programme provider for South Asian young people in this community.

Recognising the gap in high-quality employment support for this group, we partnered with IMO to incubate YouThrive In Life (YTIL) - a programme built on evidence of what works and IMO’s insights on the needs of young South Asian people. The programme provides mentorship from those with lived experience, family engagement to support decision-making, and direct exposure to employment opportunities.

A 2024 pilot of the programme made significant progress, securing partnerships with three schools and focusing on delivering meaningful impact. This pilot marks IMO’s first large-scale programme launched with a strong emphasis on outcomes, and the start of an exciting impact journey.

Beyond programme development, we’ve helped IMO strengthen their organisational foundations – supporting Board development, formalising senior leadership and enhancing financial expertise. With a promising pilot and a strong partnership, we’re reinvesting in IMO for an additional year to build on this momentum and drive change for young people.

Sister System

At the heart of Sister System’s work is their peer support programme, which harnesses lived experience to help young women build and sustain healthy relationships.

Sister System was named Children and Youth Charity of the Year at the 2023 national Charity Awards – demonstrating national recognition for their transformative work supporting care-affected girls and young women. This milestone reflects their rapid growth and sharpened strategy, prioritising-impact, since joining our portfolio in 2022.

With our support, Sister System have re-launched a streamlined, sequenced programme, piloting ways to measure their Sis-stars' outcomes around progression into education, employment or training (EET) and living abuse-free lives. They have also tripled their income in just two years by building diverse and long-term partnerships. This additional funding has strengthened their foundations with a robust senior leadership team and a refreshed CRM system. Under the inspiring leadership of CEO Okela Douglas, they have also built a strong external brand.

Now equipped with a streamlined programme design and a scalable model, Sister System is positioned to deliver even greater impact in the coming years. We’re proud to build on our partnership, supporting them as they successfully navigate the challenges that growth brings to an organisation, to transform the lives of more young women.

We’re excited to continue this journey with Generation UK, IMO Charity and Sister System, supporting them as they build on their impact.

We want to thank our Connect Fund partners: Bank of America, Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy, The Towerbrook Foundation, Bain & Company, The CD&R Foundation, and KKR. Without them, our work with these incredible portfolio partners would not have been possible.