A specialist education provider helping children at risk of exclusion has expanded its team after securing £126,000 of funding from SWIG Finance.
Exmouth based Co Adventurers, which began during the Covid-19 lockdown providing outdoor learning opportunities for the children of key workers, has grown into an alternative education provider supporting children and young people across Devon.
Two loans from SWIG Finance have enabled the organisation to recruit and train specialist staff, expanding its team to 17 employees and increasing the support it can provide for children who struggle in mainstream education.
Co Adventurers Founder David Slater & Safeguarding Lead, Senior Mentor, Vanessa Briggs, support children who have been excluded from mainstream education or require a greater level of individual support.
Founder Dave Slater established Co Adventurers after working with aid agencies before qualifying as a certified forest school teacher. Today, the organisation delivers alternative education through a network of learning environments, combining classroom teaching, outdoor education and therapeutic support to help children re-engage with learning.
Co Adventurers was introduced to SWIG Finance by Anthony Booker of ASC Finance for Business in 2024. An initial £84,000 loan, delivered through the British Business Bank‘s South West Investment Fund, enabled the organisation to recruit specialist teachers and support the next phase of its growth.
A second £42,000 loan was delivered in 2026 through the Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF). The funding covered the extensive training required for new staff, including a specialist head teacher and four learning mentors, helping ensure every child benefits from an individual learning plan supported by trauma-informed care.
The investment has strengthened Co Adventurers’ ability to support children who have been excluded from mainstream education or require a greater level of individual support. The organisation currently supports 12 children through its latest learning provision and Dave hopes its model can continue to grow, with the longer-term ambition of becoming a fully registered independent school.
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On his experience with SWIG, Dave said: “The funding from SWIG came at exactly the right time. Everything we do depends on having the right people around each child, so being able to recruit and train a specialist team has been transformational. It has helped us grow our provision and support more young people who need a different approach to education. I can’t thank Craig and the SWIG team enough for their fast and friendly application service.”
Business Manager at SWIG Finance, Craig Slater adds: “It has been a pleasure to support Co Adventurers as it continues to grow its specialist education provision. Over the years, two loans from SWIG Finance have enabled the organisation to recruit specialist staff, expand its services and support more children who need an alternative approach to education. I’m proud to have played a small part in helping Dave and the team continue that journey.”
Co Adventurers currently has several vacancies as it continues to grow and is developing partnerships with academies and local schools to support future placements. Parents, teachers and social workers looking for specialist alternative education can find out more via its website.
The first £84,000 loan was delivered through the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. It increases the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses, providing funding to firms that might otherwise struggle to access investment.
On his experience with SWIG, Dave said: “The funding from SWIG came at exactly the right time.”
Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “For many growing businesses, having access to finance at the right time can make the difference between standing still and taking the next step. The South West Investment Fund is designed to help businesses overcome those barriers to growth, and Co Adventurers is a great example of how that funding can be used to invest in people and build capacity.”
The second £42,000 loan was delivered through the Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF), a £10 million facility funded by Triodos Bank UK and Better Society Capital. The fund has been made available to SWIG Finance through Social Investment Scotland to support more micro and small businesses across the South and West Country. It forms part of a wider £72 million investment initiative designed to support local employment opportunities and economic growth.
The South West Investment Fund covers the entire South West region and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
The purpose of the South West Investment Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the region. It is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.
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About SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance is a people-based lender that provides loans and support to help smaller businesses in the South and West Country grow. We base our lending decisions on potential rather than collateral, which means that we can often support businesses when others can't.
We’re growing every year. In 2025/26, we lent £18.4m to 506 businesses, helping to create and secure over 1,134 jobs and generate £95.2m in social impact. Download the report here.
If you’d like an informal chat about your funding requirements, get in touch with our friendly and professional team to see how we can help: info@swigfinance.co.uk / 01872 227 930