Haus Of Seisay awarded £96,500 from National Lottery Young Starts Fund to expand life-changing support for care-experienced young people
Haus Of Seisay, a Scottish pioneering hairdressing academy dedicated to supporting care-experienced young people, has been awarded a significant grant of £96,500 from the National Lottery Young Starts Fund. The funding, which is to be spent over a 2-year period, marks a major milestone for the charity and will enable it to expand its reach, enhance its programmes and deepen its impact across communities in Scotland. It is predicted that more than 40 care experienced young people in Scotland will benefit.
Founded in 2022, Haus Of Seisay was established in response to the barriers many care-experienced young people face when accessing education, training and employment. By combining industry led hairdressing education, including access to Qualifications Scotland SVQ’s, young learners benefit from holistic, person-centred support.
The organisation has created a unique environment where young people are empowered to build confidence, develop practical vocational skills and pursue meaningful career pathways.
The funding plays a vital role in strengthening Haus Of Seisay’s core mission: to create opportunities and transform futures. It will support the expansion of training programmes for up to 40 learners, allowing more young people to access accredited learning and hands-on experience within a professional salon setting.
The grant will help enhance mentoring provision, wellbeing support and employability training ensuring our learners are armed with the resilience and confidence needed to thrive going forward.
Haus Of Seisay places strong emphasis on personal development and wellbeing. Its programmes are designed to nurture self-esteem, encourage independence and provide stability, helping young people overcome challenges and realise their full potential. By creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment, the organisation addresses inequality and ensures that care-experienced individuals are not left behind.
Founder Thomas Seisay said:
“Receiving this funding from National Lottery Young Starts Fund is a hugely important moment for our organisation. It validates the work we are doing and, most importantly, allows us to reach more young people who deserve the opportunity to succeed.
Care-experienced young people often face significant challenges, but with the right support, guidance and belief, their potential is massive. This funding will help us continue to provide a safe, creative and empowering space where young people can grow, gain confidence and build positive futures.”
The award comes at a time when demand for accessible and inclusive training opportunities continues to grow. Haus Of Seisay has already seen the transformative impact of its work, with participants progressing into further education, employment and more positive life outcomes.
Partnerships with industry professionals and employers, are established and growing, creating positive outcomes into further education, apprenticeships and long-term careers in the hairdressing sector.
The charity is slowing gaining the recognition is strongly deserves. It was delighted to recently discover it has been nominated for the Education Excellence at the UK Hair & Beauty awards in Manchester next month. This distinguished recognition not only helps the charity but raises the profile for care experienced people everywhere – breaking down barriers and removing the stigmas attached.
