Our story
About Second Chance Pathways
We're a Manchester-based Community Interest Company working alongside people who need a fresh start — offering practical support, real opportunities, and genuine community.
Who we are
Founded on the belief that everyone deserves a second chance.
Second Chance Pathways CIC was founded in 2012 by a small group of Manchester residents who had seen first-hand how hard it is to rebuild your life after prison, homelessness, or long-term unemployment — and how little joined-up support existed for people trying to do exactly that.
We started with a single housing advice drop-in at a community centre in Ancoats. Today we support over 1,200 people a year across Greater Manchester, delivering six interconnected services — housing, job training, employment, education, healthcare, and food assistance — from our base at Swan Buildings in the Northern Quarter.
We are a Community Interest Company (CIC), which means our work is legally locked to community benefit. Any surplus we generate is reinvested directly into our services. We are not driven by profit — we are driven by people.
As a CIC, our work is legally locked to community benefit. Any surplus we generate is reinvested directly into our services — not distributed as profit.
Rooted in Manchester
Local focus, Greater Manchester reach.
Our office is at First Floor, Swan Buildings, 20 Swan Street, Manchester M4 5JW — in the heart of the Northern Quarter, close to the communities we serve. We work across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs, including Manchester, Salford, Oldham, Rochdale, Bolton, Bury, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan.
Greater Manchester has some of the highest rates of rough sleeping, reoffending, and long-term unemployment in England. We believe that local, community-rooted organisations are best placed to respond — because we know the streets, the services, and the people.
Working with local providers
We don't work in isolation.
Lasting change requires a network. We work closely with a wide range of local organisations to ensure the people we support can access everything they need.
Housing Associations
We work with Registered Providers across Greater Manchester — including Irwell Valley Homes, Mosscare St Vincent's, and others — to source accommodation and support tenancy sustainment.
Further Education Colleges
Partnerships with Manchester College, Salford City College, and Hopwood Hall College give our clients access to accredited qualifications, apprenticeships, and funded training routes.
NHS & Mental Health Services
We work alongside Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, community mental health teams, and substance misuse services to ensure people get the right clinical support.
Local Employers
Our growing network of fair-chance employer partners — in construction, hospitality, logistics, retail, and more — are committed to inclusive hiring and giving people a genuine opportunity.
Food Banks & Community Kitchens
We work with Trussell Trust food banks, FareShare Greater Manchester, and community kitchens across the city to ensure no one goes hungry while they're rebuilding their lives.
Probation & Justice Services
We have established relationships with HM Prison & Probation Service, delivering in-prison training and pre-release support at several establishments across the North West.
Our team
Multi-skilled, community-rooted, and driven by lived experience.
Our team of 24 staff and 30+ volunteers brings together expertise across housing, employment, mental health, social work, peer mentoring, education, and community development. Many of our team members have personal experience of the justice system, homelessness, or long-term unemployment — and that lived experience is one of our greatest strengths.
We believe that the people best placed to support someone through a difficult time are often those who have been through something similar themselves. That's why peer mentoring sits at the heart of our model — and why we actively recruit and develop people with lived experience into paid roles.
Skills across our team
What we stand for
Four values that guide everything we do.
Dignity
We treat every person we work with as a whole human being — not a case number, a statistic, or a problem to be managed. Everyone who comes through our door is met with respect, warmth, and without judgement.
Community
We believe that people thrive when they're connected — to others, to their neighbourhood, and to a sense of belonging. Everything we do is designed to strengthen those connections, not replace them.
Practical Help
We focus on what actually makes a difference. Not just advice and signposting, but real, tangible support — a room, a qualification, a job, a meal. We measure our success by outcomes, not outputs.
Empowerment
Our goal is never dependency — it's independence. We work alongside people, not for them, building confidence and capability so that they can take control of their own lives and futures.
Want to know more or get involved?
Whether you want to access our services, volunteer, donate, or partner with us — we'd love to hear from you.