- About Us
Empowering Growth Through Real-World Learning
Helping youth build stronger futures through relatable, real-world learning experiences.
- About Us
Connecting young people, real-life skills, and brighter futures.
We deliver interactive lessons, practical guidance, and relatable support—empowering young people to grow in confidence, gain independence, and thrive beyond the classroom or care system.
Our Mission
To prepare, empower, and inspire young people for life beyond the care system by equipping them with practical life skills that build confidence, resilience, and self-belief- so they can thrive, not just survive, as they transition into adulthood.
Our Vision
To create a world where every young person—regardless of background—has the knowledge, confidence, and support they need to thrive into adulthood.
“Too many young people are expected to navigate adulthood without the tools, resources or support they need. Skills 2 Thrive was built to change that.
We’re here to guide, empower, and equip the next generation—not just to survive, but to thrive.”
[Dougie Stringer], Founder
- What sets us apart
Turning Life Lessons Into Lasting Confidence
We go beyond basic advice—offering real-life skills, youth-led content, and meaningful support that helps young people take confident steps toward independence and long-term success.
Real-Life Focus
Built for Impact
Simple & Supportive
Holistic Approach
Our Team
The People Who Power Skills 2 Thrive!
Dougie Stringer
Skills 2 Thrive is led by Dougie Stringer, who founded the organisation with a personal mission to support young people to successfully transition out of care.
Drawing on both lived and professional experience, Dougie brings a unique and credible perspective to the work:
Care-experienced, with firsthand insight into the challenges faced by care leavers
Over 10 years’ experience working with care-experienced young people
Former Leaving Care Personal Advisor and qualified Social Worker
Background in residential care
BA (Hons) Social Work & Sports Science – 2:1
These experiences led Dougie to develop Skills 2 Thrive — a digital life skills platform designed to help young people not just survive adulthood, but thrive.
Matt Brown (IT Manager)
- 15+ years in global IT with deep expertise in infrastructure, systems integration & operations.
- Proven leader in IT strategy, digital transformation & support for SMEs
- Specialist in process automation & bespoke systems aligned with compliance needs
- Extensive experience in data security, GDPR & regulatory compliance
- Designs scalable, secure systems with strong governance & audit capabilities
- Aligns IT operations with business risk to ensure ongoing compliance
George (Business Development Manager)
•Founder of Manchester Social entrepreneurs
•Innovation Strategist
•Led transformative initiatives
•Social Impact and Venture Growth
Jon Farrar (Developer)
•Jon has 20 years’ experience building apps and enterprise grade back-end services
•Founder of Pixebyte and incoder
•Experience leading teams of 40+ and has worked with several startups