RiseUp: Evaluating the Impact of a Young People's Programme
RiseUp is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation founded in 2015, which works with prisons, schools, the long term unemployed and those at risk of offending within the wider community. It uses the ‘Hero’s Journey’, a narrative pattern often used in storytelling that describes a cycle of departure, initiation, and return, as a model for personal growth and transformation, guiding people through various stages to navigate their challenges and achieve their potential. The programme typically utilises creative arts to guide participants through the Hero’s Journey.
Originally developed for adults in a prison setting, in 2025, RiseUp received funding from Arts Council England and a National Lottery Project Grant, which enabled it to deliver a pilot of its ‘Hero’s Journey’ programme for young people in a Pupil Referral Unit.
RealWorth worked with RiseUp to evaluate the impact of the pilot Young People’s Programme, demonstrating its effectiveness in generating social impact. By working with RealWorth, RiseUp was able to:
Adapt its Theory of Change to the Young People’s Programme
Develop a Data Collection Framework that can be applied in schools and amongst vulnerable children
Obtain a high-level impact report to demonstrate the value of the Young People’s Programme, including:
A statistical evaluation of the programme, detailing what impacts the young people experiences
A thematic analysis understanding where the most significant value was felt
Demonstrate the value created by applying the course in a Pupil Referral Unit setting
Apply for additional funding to continue the Hero’s Journey with young people in educational settings
Project details
- Project title
- RiseUp: Evaluating the Impact of a Young People's Programme
- Projects date
- 2026
- Projects location
- Northwest, United Kingdom
Project Client(s)
"We’ve learnt so much about our own understanding of our work due to RealWorth. Understanding our work on a much deeper level has allowed us to completely re-build our organisation in an effort to widen our impact. It has given us the confidence that we could expand our offering without fear of losing the quality of delivery."
Stuart Coady, Co-Founder and Business Director, RiseUp