This International Women’s Day, we’re proud to shine a light on one of our inspiring partners, Bright Futures – an organisation dedicated to creating empowering spaces where young women can grow in confidence, develop leadership skills and realise their full potential.

Through delivering the KEY+ Challenge, Bright Futures are helping young women turn ideas into action and discover strengths they didn’t even know they had.

Bright Futures have been a partner for 10 years, supporting over 200 young people and delivering 63 KEY+ projects within their organisation.

At Bright Futures, the KEY+ Challenge is more than just a programme – it’s a framework for growth: “We use the KEY+ Challenge to give young people a clear way to set goals, try new things, and track their progress. It’s a tool that helps us run activities that are fun, meaningful and tailored to each young person.”

By giving young people structure alongside creative freedom, KEY+ supports them to step outside their comfort zones. Each challenge completed becomes proof of their capability and Bright Futures have seen first-hand the difference this makes: “It [KEY+] helps them believe in themselves. Completing the challenges gives them confidence and a sense of achievement, and they can see just how much they’re capable of when they push themselves and reflect on their journey.”

When asked what they value the most about working with The Key and doing the KEY+ Challenge, they said: “We love how simple it is to use and how well it works with the young people. The Key are always supportive and open to hear the new ideas from our young women.”

Overall, Bright Futures said: “It [KEY+] adds structure and focus to what we already do. We can plan sessions with clear outcomes but still give young people freedom to explore their ideas and interests. It makes our sessions more engaging and rewarding for the young women we support.”

And for organisations considering joining as a Key Partner? “Go for it! It’s a brilliant way to help young people discover their strengths and build on their weaknesses. The support from The Key is really helpful, and it’s so rewarding to watch young people grow and achieve things they didn’t think they could at the start of their journey.”

Explore some of the KEY+ projects young people from Bright Futures have thought up:

International Women’s Day is about celebrating progress while recognising the work still to be done. For Bright Futures, creating dedicated spaces for young women is essential: “Young women need spaces where they feel safe to speak up and share their ideas and experiences. These spaces help them learn new skills [and] grow in confidence and leadership without feeling overlooked or judged.”

In those spaces, Bright Futures see extraordinary strengths every day: “They’re creative, resilient, and full of new ideas. They care about the society, their communities and most importantly other young women. They’re determined and they’re not afraid to try new things or have their voices heard.”

Rather than directing from the front, Bright Futures empower young women to lead: “At Bright Futures, we encourage them to speak up in group discussions, run projects they care about, and make decisions for themselves. We’re there to guide them, but we let them lead ensuring the programme really is youth-led.”

Delivering KEY+ has created meaningful opportunities for young women to take ownership of their ideas and see projects through from start to finish: “KEY+ gives them ownership. They can plan projects, make choices, and see them through whilst learning from their mistakes along the way. It’s great to see young women take the lead, make decisions, and feel proud of what they’ve achieved even when they’ve felt like giving up.”

That ownership often leads to new doors opening: “Many have gained confidence to try things they wouldn’t have before even just attending sessions on a weekly basis, opportunities to meet other groups of young people, volunteering, and exploring new interests. KEY+ opens doors for them.”