30/09/2026
An update about our Alternative Education Programme.
After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close Turtle Dove Cambridge's Alternative Education Programme for school-aged young women. Although the need for this type of support still exists, unfortunately referral levels have not been sufficient for us to sustain the programme in its current form.
Thanks to everyone who supported the Programme, which allowed 20 young women to access 1:1 and small-group support, accredited learning, work experience, employment references and opportunities to build confidence and connections within their community.
We are especially grateful to Landlark Foundation, who funded our final cohort, and to the brilliant partners who helped us rebuild opportunities following COVID, including St Catharine's College, Ibis Hotel, Downing Place URC, Heavenly Desserts, Orlene's Kitchen, Cambridge University Press and Cambs Cuisine.
While our Alternative Education Programme is closing, the learning, relationships and opportunities it created continue to shape our work.
We are now registered to receive Local Authority Alternative Education referrals for young women aged 16+ into our Young Women's Development Programme. Our focus will be on strengthening referral pathways and working closely with schools, colleges, the Local Authority, community organisations and employers to ensure young women are aware of and able to access the support available to them, including training, work experience, mentoring and meaningful routes into education and employment.
The need for this support remains, and we are looking forward to taking everything we have learned into the next stage of Turtle Dove Cambridge's work.
Read more about our decision to close the Alternative Education Programme and the wider challenges behind it here: https://buff.ly/NvjwLvt
