FASTN – working together for family stability and safe nurturing relationships

We supported the Oglesby Charitable Trust in developing a new initiative that seeks to change attitudes and behaviour to enable more children to grow up safe, secure and nurtured by both parents. We advised on the design and delivery of the first project, Status, which focused on 17-24 yr olds through social media. We hosted the initiative until it achieved independent charitable status as FASTN in 2017 and continue to advise on the delivery of projects.

Relationship problems often arise when people drift into relationships where commitment is ambiguous and communication poor. For young people the pathway to adulthood, and the secure stable relationships that provide a bedrock for health and wellbeing in adult lives, is not straightforward. Our research found that young adults are looking for advice and support in their relationships but too often are left to learn the hard way through trial and error.

They prize communication but may be fearful of talking about their feelings or seeking advice and support.

We don’t believe that people are simply the flotsam of social trends, to be cast ashore wherever culture or technology takes them. It is possible to change attitudes and behaviour, and to harness both the deep-rooted desire for secure love as well as the skills and capacity of the many individuals and organisations dedicated to supporting people in their relationships.

Areas where we have been particularly involved recently are:

  • advising on the consultation response to the consultation on Relationships and Sex Education, developing case studies of good practice, and campaigns around the importance and potential of good relationships education
  • development of Status campaigns such as #betterbreakups
  • writing the Love, Lust and Loneliness report on 16-19 year old men’s experience of relationships.
  • or developing a research partnership with Sport Birmingham and Birmingham City University on how mentoring linked to sports programmes can help develop relationship skills.

Relationships Education needs to be considered as an important life skill and not conflated with sex or Sex Education. An approach that focuses on relational skills should seek to address some of the biggest challenges faced by young people today as well as tackling some of our most serious long term social policy issues.