Step One Charity is a non-profit organisation that provides support to people with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity across Devon. We have a long and distinguished history, dating back to 1937 when we were founded as St Loye’s College.
St Loye’s College was founded by Dame Georgiana Buller DBE, a visionary who believed that everyone deserves the opportunity to live a fulfilling life, regardless of their circumstances. Dame Georgiana’s vision was to provide support for people with disabilities to develop skills and achieve their potential, overcoming any barriers they faced in society.
St Loye’s College adapted its name (to St Loye’s Foundation) and how it supported people, providing residential training and tuition in a variety of areas such as occupational therapy, catering and office skills.
In 2015, following changes in government funding, St Loye’s moved from providing residential-based training to a more diverse range of support. This included working with Community Care Trust, a local charity with an excellent reputation for providing mental health services in South Devon since 1989. The merged charity rebranded as Step One in 2017.
Today, Step One provides a range of support to enable people to manage their mental health and wellbeing and take positive steps forward to achieving their goals. We offer support through:
Step One is proud to have a long history of helping people with mental health challenges to live their best lives. We are committed to continuing our work for many years to come.
