What we do

With over a decade of experience, the JHF connects passionate mentors with young people in North Somerset, empowering them to reach their full potential. Our one-on-one mentoring provides tailored support within schools or out in the community. Each young person sets individual goals, gaining the skills and confidence to build a brighter future.

Our dedicated mentors bring enthusiasm and a personalised plan to each session, fostering resilience and essential life skills. Activities are as diverse as the young people we serve – from exploring local attractions to arts and crafts, outdoor adventures, sports, or simply catching up over a hot drink.

We understand that young people thrive with a network of support. 
That’s why we collaborate with parents, schools, and professionals to create a holistic, personalised plan. These partnerships empower many young people to successfully re-engage with education, training, or find meaningful employment.

Our tutoring programs are meticulously designed to meet each young person’s unique needs. We offer flexible support, from short-term interventions of six weeks to longer-term guidance of a year or more.

Young people partner with a tutor to achieve their specific goals, whether excelling in exams, filling knowledge gaps, or maintaining learning consistency while seeking a school placement. We carefully match tutors with young people, ensuring an ideal fit for individual needs. The initial meeting sets clear objectives, and ongoing progress checks keep everyone on track.

We prioritise convenience and comfort. Tutoring takes place in homes, libraries, youth clubs, our JHF office spaces, or even the outdoor classroom – wherever best suits the student.  Sessions range from one to three hours and can seamlessly integrate with mentoring sessions for a holistic experience.

The Orchard is a sanctuary—a safe, calm, and quiet space ideal for one-on-one mentoring and an inspiring outdoor learning environment. It also hosts summer transition projects, easing the path for young people moving from primary to secondary school.

We grow organic fruit and vegetables year-round, incorporating them into our mentoring activities and offering them to young people to take home to their families.

In 2020, the local community came together to construct a beautiful outdoor learning centre called the Orchard. Since then, our community has continued to support it. For example, Clevedon Community Bookshop donated a reading bench, a popular feature for anyone seeking some quiet time. In February 2024, we partnered with Sustainable Clevedon to create a natural screen from the neighbouring campsite by planting a hedgerow.

We also pride ourselves on sharing the space with other organisations. The Brandon Trust uses one of the soil beds to grow their own vegetables, and another group regularly visits the Orchard as a destination for their walking group. We also offer workshops to other charities and corporate sponsors.

At the Orchard outdoor learning centre, youth voice is the cornerstone of all our youth work. We actively listen to young people’s ideas and incorporate their feedback into how the space is utilised, the activities we run, and the maintenance of the site. This collaborative approach ensures that the Orchard remains a dynamic and responsive environment, tailored to the needs and interests of the young people we serve. By empowering them to take an active role in shaping their learning experiences, we foster a sense of ownership and pride in the Orchard, making it a truly youth-led space.

To offer a small example- when a young person expressed a desire to see a frog, a team from the JHF and the local community built a pond in the shape of a heart to reflect our logo. Over time, he did eventually see a frog!

Environmental sustainability is very important to us as a charity; we are committed to keeping the Orchard as environmentally friendly as possible. Some examples of our practices include:

• Composting all of our green waste and teaching young people about the composting process.
• Maintaining wildflower meadows for bee pollination.
• Avoiding the use of fertilisers or pesticides.
• Using biodegradable materials and recycling where possible.
• Having a pond that serves as a habitat for some animal life and a water source for others.
• Encouraging biodiversity by providing ample space for creatures to use as protected areas and habitats.

In 2023, we invited the Team Wilder Ecological Advisory Service to survey the Orchard. They praised our eco-friendly practices and nature connection efforts, and offered practical suggestions for increasing biodiversity and sustainability.

You can read the full report here.

We would like to extend a special thank you to the National Lottery Reaching Communities grant funding for helping us set up the Orchard, and to the Quartet Community Fund for their support in maintaining this vital part of our charity.

If you or your organisation would like to support this amazing space, then please contact us to find out about ways that you can get involved.