More about STEP Charity

STEP Charity was created in 1997 by local residents in response to the decline of the steel and coal industries across South Yorkshire. Concerned about the impact of job losses and industrial change, the community came together to form STEP Development Trust — a charity dedicated to training, employment, enterprise support, and community development.

In its early years, STEP attracted funding from European regeneration programmes, government grants, and loans to develop new facilities for childcare, enterprise, and community action. These investments laid the foundations for the buildings and services we still provide today.

The austerity period after 2010 brought the end of most public funding, forcing STEP to adapt. We shifted to a sustainable community enterprise model, generating income through our nursery, business centre, and venue while continuing to reinvest in the local area. Alongside this, STEP weathered severe floods, the Covid-19 pandemic, and wider economic pressures.

Today, STEP Charity is debt-free and financially stable. We are no longer reliant on grant funding to deliver our core operations, but instead stand as an independent community enterprise serving Stocksbridge and the wider Steel Valley.

Looking ahead, STEP is committed to sustainability and responsiveness. We will continue to run our services in a way that secures long-term financial independence, while staying close to local voices and needs. Our focus is on furthering our social mission: creating opportunities for children, families, young people, and older residents; strengthening local enterprise; and fostering a stronger sense of community belonging.