How We Started

A WAY OUT was started in June 2002 by a group of local people who wanted to see an end to addiction and poverty amongst women and young people in Stockton on Tees. One of the original founders, Jessie Joe Jacobs, went on to become the current Chief Executive of A WAY OUT and this is her story:

The Early Days

"I had seen addiction destroy the lives of some of the people closest to me and I knew the battle that young people faced trying to get off drugs and alcohol but it wasn't until I began work as a youth volunteer in a local church that I felt called to respond.  I had a vision of a 15 year old girl selling her body on the streets of Stockton.  She was the same age as the girls that I was working in the church.  The inequality and the dramatically different lives that these girls were living broke my heart.  One group had their whole future in front of them, they were safe and loved.  The other was lost, without love, life or hope.  I knew I wanted to do something and gradually a team began to emerge. In June 2002, in my living room, we had our first meeting".

Our First Projects

"I studied pharmacology at Leeds university and had produced a dissertation in Effective Drugs Prevention.  When we first started to go into communities we used some of the activities and education programmes that I had developed as part of my degree.  Our first building was an old office that had been used for the family business of one of our founders.  It also just so happened to be in Stockton’s read light district. Once we got the building we opened up the doors and began to work with women suffering from life-controlling addictions.  We ran a drop-in three days and three nights a week for three years."

Our Journey

"In 2004 we gained charitable status and got our first major grant. We began to work with people at risk from other life controlling situations such as homelessness, self harm, sexual exploitation and sexual risk taking.

In 2008 We won the VONNE (Voluntary Organisations Network North East) outstanding organisation of the year award.

In 2009 we moved into our purposely designed, centre, "The Gate" and we also won the Sunday Times and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Today we employ 21 people and work with more than 1000 women and young people every year, providing love, hope and holistic care, aimed to improving peopels lives, health and well being.

We have seen many lives reached, changed and saved and continue to be excited but also challenged by what lies ahead"