Where Next Association
Charity 517248
www.wherenextassociation.co.uk
Overview
Summary
Where Next Association appears to occupy a bridging role between disability support, learning and economic participation in Redditch and surrounding areas. Its stated focus on work placements and training suggests that it is not only addressing individual learning needs, but helping people translate support into practical routes toward employment, activity and inclusion. The organisation’s remit is notably broad, combining disability, disadvantage, unemployment and recreation, which may allow it to respond to barriers that overlap rather than treating them separately.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence: the Charity Commission's current register entry lists Birmingham City, Warwickshire and Worcestershire as places where the charity operates. This supports an operational footprint extending into Birmingham, but does not identify a Birmingham service, venue, ward or recognised place.
- Direct evidence: the organisation's current website describes its day-opportunity units as being in Redditch and Studley, and gives its contact location as Redditch. Its 2023 trustees' report describes facilities and services centred on Redditch, with local links developing in Warwickshire.
- Reasonable interpretation: Where Next's operational identity is regional rather than Birmingham-citywide or neighbourhood-based. The evidence indicates a Worcestershire-centred provider with stated activity across Birmingham City, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, rather than a Birmingham-based network of sites.
- No authoritative current source located identifies where in Birmingham the charity delivers services, holds sessions, operates a physical site, or has a partnership that materially extends service delivery into a specified Birmingham ward or City Centre.
- The Charity Commission register reports that the charity does not own or lease land or property. This does not rule out hired, shared or partner-hosted Birmingham venues, but none were evidenced.
Additional evidence needed
- The 2024 trustees' annual report or service-delivery data specifying the Birmingham locations, referral areas or commissioning arrangements for current beneficiaries.
- A current official list of Where Next service venues, outreach sessions, partner-hosted provision or work-placement locations in Birmingham.
- Confirmation from the organisation of whether its reported Birmingham City operation is direct delivery, beneficiary residence/referral coverage, or occasional partnership activity.
Areas of work
- Disability
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Education/training
- Recreation
Who they help
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A bridge from support to participation
The organisation appears to use training and work placements as a practical bridge between learning difficulties and wider participation in working and community life.
Why it matters
This suggests its role may extend beyond providing support: it may help people access experiences and confidence that conventional education or employment services do not readily provide.
Show evidence
“Provides work placements and training for people with learning difficulties.”
Source:Organisation“To advance educational training and relieve need among unemployed persons.”
Source:Charity Commission
Designed around overlapping disadvantage
Where Next Association appears to recognise that unemployment may be compounded by disability, learning difficulties and social disadvantage, rather than arising from a single barrier.
Why it matters
This makes the organisation potentially distinctive within the local support landscape: it may be relevant where employment, disability and social inclusion services need to work together.
Show evidence
“Particularly young unemployed persons, resident in Redditch and surrounding areas.”
Source:Charity Commission“Suffering from learning difficulties as a result of being mentally or physically handicapped or socially deprived or disadvantaged.”
Source:Charity Commission
A locally rooted but potentially broad offer
The organisation’s geographic focus is local, but its stated areas of work suggest a broader offer than employability alone, including education, disability support, community development and recreation.
Why it matters
This may make it a useful connecting point for local organisations whose beneficiaries need both practical progression opportunities and social participation.
Show evidence
“Resident in Redditch and surrounding areas.”
Source:Charity Commission“Education/training, Disability, Economic/community Development/employment, Recreation.”
Source:Charity Commission
- It is unclear whether work placements lead to paid employment, volunteering, qualifications or other outcomes.
- There is no evidence about current scale, age range served, referral routes or partnerships.
- The role of recreation within the organisation’s operating model is not explained.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent information on programmes, participant numbers, outcomes and the types of work placements provided.
- Evidence of local partnerships, referral relationships and the organisations or employers hosting placements.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Provides work placements and training for people with learning difficulties.
Charity objects
TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING AND TO RELIEVE NEED AMONG UNEMPLOYED PERSONS, PARTICULARLY YOUNG UNEMPLOYED PERSONS, RESIDENT IN REDDITCH AND SURROUNDING AREAS WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM LEARNING DIFFICULTIES AS A RESULT OF BEING MENTALLY OR PHYSIC ALLY HANDICAPPED OR SOCIALLY DEPRIVED OR DISADVANTAGED.