Community Led Initiatives CIC

Who we are

Our Mission

To create positive change, equity in opportunity and social mobility for all communities.

Our Values

We are a values-led organisation. Our values underpin everything we do and how we do it, from our recruitment to our people development, our approach to our work on a daily basis, our decision making and our drive to deliver the best possible outcomes for those we support.

At CLI we use our collective lived experience of transformation and change to inspire those we support to envisage a different life beyond the criminal justice system, addiction and homelessness.

We provide hope that change can be achieved, and that we are there for the journey.

Our outcomes clearly demonstrate that mentoring relationships are a highly effective way to support people who are trying to achieve positive change and build a new life that looks different from their past.

With our one-to-one support we help people envisage a different future and possibilities, identify their strengths and talents, and get started.

We build a depth of relationship with those we support, built on mutual trust, that inspires change and supports momentum.

Our History:

Community Led Initiatives was formed in 2013 by Pete Atherton, our CEO, and Matt Kidd, built on their experience of rebuilding their lives after addiction, mental ill health, and involvement with the criminal justice system.
 

By 30 years old, Pete had spent most of his life in and out the care and prison system. His lifestyle revolved around crime and drugs, both of which affected his mental health, resulting in bouts of depression which he masked with his drug use.
 

At that point he could not imagine a different life in wider society or see how it was possible to overcome the stigma and barriers which had built up over the years living the life he had.
 

Matt had spent over 10 years struggling with addiction. Though he worked and maintained some ties into society, at times Matt led a double life, hiding his drug use from those near to him and was often affected by anxiety and depression.
 

Both decided things had to change although building a new life is far from easy. Leaving everything you have known behind to find a new place in society comes with many challenges.
 

With the active support of family and others who became an important part in their journey, Pete and Matt were able to make the change they wanted, going on to use their experience of recovery to set up CLI to help transform the lives of people who like them, can often see no way out of the situations they find themselves in.