ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO RESPECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES
Young People Matter (YPM) is an award winning, diverse charity and community action group with people of all ages and backgrounds joined together by a shared commitment to nurture children’s potential, promote healthy living and develop a greater sense of social responsibility.
During the Covid-19 crisis, YPM had to temporarily close all but one of its clubs, which supported vulnerable children and children of keyworkers. This helped them to continue to generate some income. YPM is now prepping to run its summer holiday camps having received feedback from parents that take-up is likely to be high. It is also in discussions with another school to potentially expand its service provisions in September, although with health & safety measures taken into consideration.
YPM was set up in 2007 by its inspirational CEO and Founder Kemi Folarin, when she was 22, in the Stockwell area of London as a response to the shooting of Billy Cox. It started with a gathering of young people on the local estate to come up with ideas of what activities they could provide to give young people somewhere to go to avoid violent incidents in the future. Kemi is dedicated to supporting children and young people to make positive life choices. She is also the Founder of Aspire to Elevate Training Centre, an author and an advisor to many organisations and non-profits on youth engagement dedicated to supporting BME children and young people.
YPM now offers a variety of in-school services to children and young people from 4 to 21 years. These include breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs, holiday camps, junior and youth clubs as well a variety of intergenerational community projects and lone parenting aid. By running their clubs in more affluent areas, as well as those in greater social need, they are able to offer subsidised places to ensure that everyone has a chance to recognise and reach their full potential in a safe and supportive environment.
YPM recognises the importance of positive and effective behaviour management strategies in promoting children’s welfare, learning and enjoyment. They believe that children and adults flourish in an environment in which everyone knows what is expected of them and the children are free to develop their play and learning without fear of being hurt or held back by anyone else. They encourage the children to: develop a sense of care and respect for one another; build caring and co-operative relationships with other children and adults; develop a range of social skills to help them learn what acceptable behaviour is and develop confidence, self-discipline and self-esteem in an atmosphere of mutual respect and encouragement.
YPM was voted winner of the 'Best Community Project' at the South London Press, Our Heroes Award 2009, and winner of ITV and National Lottery Community Fund's The People's Millions 2014. Kemi Folarin was awarded “Most Dedicated Community Leader” in 2014.
To enable YPM to open another afterschool club in early 2020, CAF Venturesome provided them with a £60,000 standby facility, to be drawn down as an unsecured loan.
We’re proud to support YPM to reach their aim of nurturing young people to respect themselves and others within their community and beyond. We will do all we can to support them to recover from any set-backs they have encountered due to Covid-19.
“It has so far been a great opportunity to work with CAF Venturesome. It has not only benefited us with a standby loan facility but also with access to additional support.”
Kemi Folarin, CEO, Young People Matter