About us:

The Path to Independence is led by Dougie Stringer, who founded the company with a personal mission to help young people transition successfully out of care.

Drawing from his own experiences growing up in foster care, Dougie has firsthand knowledge of the challenges care leavers face. With over a decade of experience in working in a care leavers service as a personal advisor and social worker and a background in residential care, he developed The Path to Independence digital platform to support young people to thrive when reaching adulthood.

•George is our Business Development manager

•Founder of Manchester Social entrepreneurs

•Innovation Strategist

•Led transformative initiatives

•Social Impact and Venture Growth

•Jane Keenan 35 years' experience in social care

•Direct work experience with juvenile offenders

•Roles include residential worker, foster parent, senior management, strategic positions, including head of departments in training, recruitment and assessment of fostering applicants

•Director on the board overseeing two independent fostering organisations, both rated Outstanding by Ofsted

•Jon Farrar has 20 years' experience building apps and enterprise grade back-end services

•Founder of Pixebyte and incoder

•Experience leading teams of 40+ and has worked with several startups

•Matt is our IT Manager

•15+ years in global IT with deep expertise in infrastructure, systems integration & operations.

•Proven leader in IT strategy, digital transformation & support for SMEs

•Specialist in process automation & bespoke systems aligned with compliance needs

•Extensive experience in data security, GDPR & regulatory compliance

•Designs scalable, secure systems with strong governance & audit capabilities

•Aligns IT operations with business risk to ensure ongoing compliance

Mission Statement

At The Path to Independence, we are transforming the journey for young people transitioning out of care. No longer defined by feelings of solitude or uncertainty, they now face the challenges of independent living with confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose. Through our innovative tools, engaging videos, and interactive learning modules, we provide comprehensive guidance on key aspects of adulthood- managing finances, housing, health, careers, and more.

By fostering a supportive community and sharing the successes of others who have walked a similar path, we inspire young people to embrace their experiences as a source of strength. Together, we empower them to turn adversity into opportunity, ensuring they thrive as they step into adulthood and beyond.

Together we can make a real difference.