Lambeth Schools Patrol - Healthy Mind, Healthy Choices

Total amount of funding requested: £37,132

Lambeth Schools Patrol (LSP) will expand our mobile, trauma-informed youth safety and wellbeing programme in Brixton.

It will continue to provide an additional resource to local businesses, other youth initiatives and the community.

The funding will enable:

• An additional day of patrol in Central Brixton where young people travel home from school and gather.
• An additional day of youth hub sessions, offering a safe space for discussion, creativity, and social connection.
• Structured mentoring, including group and 1:1 sessions, providing early intervention, emotional support, and positive role models.

These activities will allow us to reach over 250 young people through patrol and hub engagement each term, with 20 or more receiving targeted mentoring.

The project supports young people aged 11–19 who travel through or live around central Brixton. Many face risks such as— youth violence, robbery, school exclusion, and poor mental health — often intensified by socio-economic stress and limited access to safe recreation. Travelling through Brixton creates both opportunity and vulnerability.

We work closely with other community organisations and relevant statutory services to safeguard those most at risk, particularly young people affected by trauma, anxiety, or exposure to exploitation during unsupervised travel.

The programme will:

• Reduce exposure to violence and exploitation through a visible, trusted adult presence.
• Improve mental wellbeing and confidence by offering calm, consistent support in public spaces.
• Encourage healthy choices through mentoring, peer education, and positive community role modelling.
• Strengthen collaboration between education, health, and youth services.

Short-term, we expect reduced conflict and anti-social behaviour after school. Medium-term, young people will show improved self-esteem, coping skills, and emotional literacy, while parents and schools report greater confidence in community safety. Long-term, the project will contribute to sustained mental-health improvements, fewer instances of re-offending and exploitation, and a community-led model embedded within Lambeth’s youth wellbeing strategy.