Why we’re fighting to keep our Ele-Ments peer programme going
Scroll to the bottom of this blog to see how you can raise money to continue Clean Slate’s Ele-Ments Programme in Bristol.
I had been job hunting for two years before I met Jeff Mitchell from Clean Slate. I felt betrayed after finishing my Master’s, holding onto the promise that it would open doors. But my stints as a sales rep, waitress, and unpaid intern showed me they rarely did.
When I met Jeff, I was close to giving up, convinced I’d never find a job that matched my skills or sparked my interest. So when he mentioned money guidance, I thought: that’s not for me. But as we talked, I realised Clean Slate was so much more than just an income maximiser.
I started as a marketing freelancer, encouraged by Jeff’s belief in me when I had little in myself. A few months later, I became Comms Lead. I was thrown in at the deep end, but buoyed by colleagues’ support and confidence in my abilities.
At first, I thought I was a one-off. A lucky outlier. But I quickly realised I was just one of many. Clean Slate has a way of seeing potential where others might not. And nowhere is that clearer than in their Ele-Ments Peer Programme.
Where possibility opens up
Ele-Ments is Clean Slate’s 12-week peer training and work placement programme for people with lived experience of hardship. It offers the chance to build confidence, gain skills in money guidance, and support others in the community.
I’ve seen the power of this programme first-hand for over a year now.
The first Ele-Ments peer I interviewed was Emily. Our circumstances were very different, but we shared the same feelings of frustration and invisibility. She told me nobody would employ her, even after all the jobs she’d done. She felt capable and just wanted someone to give her a chance. When she found Clean Slate, she found purpose through peer support.
She said:
“I’ve been helped and I know what a difference certain people have made to me by listening, by helping. I like that a lot of the emphasis of peer work is on lived experience. You’re not just saying ‘oh yeah, I understand’… you really can understand.”
A Way Back In
Peers like Emily often come to Clean Slate through the 7 Signs employment skills workshop. I attended my first 7 Signs in October 2024, unsure what to expect. I met a diverse group of people all united by a desire to find work after long-term unemployment.
I’ll admit, I had narrow ideas about what was realistic for some participants. I wondered how a mum who barely spoke English and had never worked would manage. Safe to say, my assumptions didn’t hold up.
Over two days, our coach Garry helped people uncover their strengths, recognise their skills, and identify work that matched their interests. It wasn’t about finding any job. It was about finding the right one. That mum realised she’d thrive in a daycare, drawing on all she’d learned raising her kids. Others saw a future in peer support.
That’s how Clean Slate finds its future workforce. Not by recruiting in the traditional sense, but by listening to people’s lived experiences and helping them discover how they can support others.
Sarah, one of the peer workers on the Ele-Ments programme, said:
“The 7 Signs training helped me understand what employers are looking for, and I picked up so many useful tips. During my placement, I was able to use what I’d learned about money guidance and saw how much of a difference our services make. I felt supported every step of the way and gained so much confidence when I really needed it.”
When Peers lead the way
And it doesn’t stop there. Over time, I’ve realised that Ele-Ments isn’t just about starting out, it’s a pathway. Many of my colleagues began as peers or money coaches through the programme and have since moved into leadership roles. In fact, around 75% of our team leads have come through Ele-Ments.
One of our London Team Leads who used to be a peer came up with a brilliant idea to reach more people in East London. She realised that social media wasn’t cutting through. But WhatsApp was. Word of mouth carried weight. So she started a WhatsApp group. It now has 113 members and continues to grow.
And it all comes back to peers. They don’t just support. They shape strategy. They reach people. They understand because they’ve been there. And they make change possible.
The financial help peers offer, whether it’s finding grants, claiming benefits, or landing a job, is huge. But what really hits me are the moments when someone tells me they felt truly understood. When they find their confidence again. That kind of shift sticks with me.
As I’ve said, I didn’t really understand what money guidance was all about. Now I see that peers and money guiders do so much more than just offer financial advice. They offer hope. That’s what Clean Slate gave to me. That’s what it gives to every peer, every coach, every client.
Help us keep this running
And that’s why Ele-Ments matters so much. It ensures people who have experienced hardship are not only represented, but empowered to lead. And right now, we have a chance to keep that work going.
In Bristol, Clean Slate has partnered with the Aviva Community Fund to raise £10,000 to continue the Ele-Ments Peer Programme. That funding would allow us to offer four placements to people with lived experience, give them training and support, and help them join our team, or someone else’s.
At Clean Slate, lived experience is not a buzzword or a tick-box. It’s the foundation of everything we do.
Please help us keep that work alive. If you can, donate to our community fund. Every donation helps, and Aviva will match each donation we receive up to £250. Head to Ele-Ments Programme Aviva Community Fund to learn more about Ele-Ments and to donate.