About Soft Skills Group
Every young person deserves to be seen.
We help young people across Greater Manchester discover their potential, build practical skills and access meaningful opportunities — through mentoring, hands-on learning and partnerships that open doors.
Who we are
Soft Skills Group CIC is a community interest company based in Greater Manchester. We work with young people, families, schools and community organisations to build the skills and confidence that open up real futures.
That means mentoring from people who show up and listen; hands-on learning in STEM, AI, digital, enterprise and creative skills; and connections to the people and opportunities young people need to take their next step.
As a CIC, our purpose is community benefit — what we do is for young people and the places they live.
Out in the community
Our story
- The spark
Seeing the gap
Through mentoring and supporting young people, Faruq and Joshua kept seeing the same thing: talent was never the problem. Access was — to practical skills, trusted adults and real opportunities.
- The start
Founding SSG
They set up Soft Skills Group as a community interest company in Greater Manchester, so that everything SSG does is focused on benefiting young people and the community.
soft skills groupCommunity Interest Company - First sessions
Hands-on from day one
SSG volunteers ran a practical STEM and digital skills session where young people built and coded robots, designed electronics in CAD and prepared models for 3D printing.
- 2026
Out in the community
SSG volunteered at Next Tech Fest, attended the Rochdale Procurement 360 Summit (7 October 2026) and Education Estates, and has worked with Action Together, Manchester City Council, Rochdale Borough Council.
- Next
Growing what works
We're recruiting volunteer STEM mentors across Greater Manchester, building partnerships with schools and community organisations, and developing new programmes with young people.
- 2027–2036
Our ten-year strategy
Our Strategic Plan sets out how we'll connect young people across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs with practical STEM, digital and life skills — and real routes into opportunity.
Read our strategysoft skills groupCommunity Interest Company
Our mission
Help young people and communities develop confidence, practical skills and access to opportunities.
Our vision
A future where background or circumstances do not determine a young person's potential.
What we do
Six futures we help young people build
- Digital FuturesAI, coding, STEM and online safety — creating with technology, not just using it.Enquire About Delivery
- Personal FuturesMentoring, confidence, communication and leadership.Enquire About Delivery
- Enterprise FuturesEntrepreneurship and business skills.Enquire About Delivery
- Career FuturesEmployability and career development.Enquire About Delivery
- Creative FuturesBeauty, barbering and vocational skills.Coming Soon
- Active FuturesSport, football and teamwork.Coming Soon
Our values
What shapes how we work
Belief
We start from what young people can do, not what they lack.
Belonging
Everyone should feel welcome, respected and safe with us.
Opportunity
We open doors — to skills, people and experiences that might otherwise stay closed.
Empowerment
Young people lead their own journey; we give them the tools and the backing.
Inclusion
Background and circumstances shouldn't decide who gets a chance. We design for everyone.
Ambition
We aim high with young people — and for our communities.
The people behind SSG
Meet the founders
Faruq Ibrahim
Co-founder
Faruq mentors young people and works alongside their families, and has a background in web development and digital. He co-founded SSG to give young people the practical skills, support and opportunities he saw too many of them missing.
Joshua Evans
Co-founder
Joshua co-founded SSG with Faruq after seeing the same gaps in opportunity for young people. Together they lead SSG's work with young people, schools and partners across Greater Manchester.
Join the team. We're recruiting volunteer STEM mentors across Greater Manchester.
Volunteer with usOur approach
How we work with young people
Step 1 of 5
Listen
Every young person starts with a conversation. We find out what they care about, what's getting in the way and what they want to try.
Community impact
The difference we're working towards
We're early in our journey. These are the outcomes we design for — and we'll publish what we find, honestly, as our programmes grow.
How we measure impact- ConfidenceYoung people feel more able to speak up, try new things and handle setbacks.
- EngagementStronger connection to learning, activities and the people around them.
- Practical skillsReal, usable skills — digital, technical, creative and interpersonal.
- EmployabilityClearer next steps into education, training, work or enterprise.
- Community participationYoung people contributing to — and feeling part of — their communities.
Safe, accountable, transparent
What you can count on
Safeguarding first
Young people's safety comes before everything we do. Parents and professionals can always ask how we work.
Information for parentsA community interest company
As a CIC, SSG exists for community benefit — focused on young people and the places they live.
Our approach to impactHonest about impact
We don't inflate numbers. We'll publish outcomes as we measure them, and say clearly what's still in development.
How we measureWorking in partnership
We work alongside schools and community organisations, including Action Together, Manchester City Council, Rochdale Borough Council.
Our partnersSSG at a glance
- Who we are
- Soft Skills Group CIC (SSG), a community interest company founded by Faruq Ibrahim and Joshua Evans.
- Where we work
- All ten Greater Manchester boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.
- Who we work with
- Young people, parents and carers, schools, colleges, councils and community organisations.
- What we do
- Mentoring, STEM and digital skills, AI and online safety, enterprise, employability, creative and vocational skills, and sport.
- Organisations we have worked with
- Action Together, Manchester City Council, Rochdale Borough Council.
- Contact
- softskillsgrouporg@gmail.com