How we work

We work with children and young people who’ve already experienced serious harm - including violence, exploitation, grooming or coercion. Many have faced frightening or traumatic situations.

Our work happens in the community - wherever the young Londoner feels safe and comfortable. We meet them once a week for an hour, face to face, in places where they feel safe - like a school, café, park or youth centre.

The one‑to‑one work we do is a bit like mentoring, but with young people who have been through things that require specialist support. Every session is something we do with the young person. Together, we look at what isn’t safe and what might help them stay safer. We use simple tools that make hard things easier to talk about - like scenarios they recognise, writing things out step by step, or using a made‑up character so they can explore feelings and choices without feeling judged.

We also work with them to understand what’s safe and what isn’t in the people and places around them. We talk about friends, family, partners and others, and together we think about who they can trust. We look at the physical spaces in their community and the online spaces they use like social media and messaging apps. Together, we plan safer routes, talk about situations or people they’re worried about and look at ways to stay safer when they’re online.

Some sessions are simply about building trust. For young people who’ve been hurt or let down, feeling safe with an adult takes time. So sometimes we play games or do lighter activities first - anything that helps them settle, feel in control, and know they won’t be judged.

We work with many different young people. Some have been harmed, some have harmed others and some have experienced both. Because of this, sessions don’t all look the same. One young person might need space to talk about fear, control or boundaries after something traumatic has happened to them. Another might need support to understand what led to them hurting someone else, how to handle pressure, or how to deal with conflict in safer ways. But the way we work stays the same - we meet them every week, we build trust, and we work with them on what they need to feel safer and build a more stable life. The approach stays the same, the support adapts.

Alongside this mentoring‑style support, we also provide help that goes beyond one‑to‑one sessions. Many young people have lots of adults and services involved in their lives, and this can feel confusing or overwhelming. We coordinate, collaborate and advocate within their professional network - speaking with school staff, social workers, housing teams, the police and others - to make sure support is joined up and the young person isn’t left to manage difficult situations alone.

We also help young people navigate the criminal justice system when they are involved in it. This can include preparing them for what to expect and being alongside them and being alongside them when they need to go to court or take part in other required processes. Whether a young person has been harmed or has caused harm, we focus on helping them feel informed, supported and safe throughout the process.

All of this helps children and young people feel safer and start to move forward after what they’ve been through.