Step Up 4 Brixton

Total amount of funding requested: £35,280

STEP NOW is a trusted community organisation and cornerstone of youth engagement in Brixton, with over the past 5 years of continuous delivery across Lambeth. As a long-standing partner of Lambeth Council, we have delivered a range of successful programmes including the SAFE Taskforce Barbershop Experience, Mentoring and Primary School Transition. Through these, we have built a reputation for high-quality, trauma-informed work that supports young people’s mental health, emotional resilience, and personal growth.

We have recently been re-awarded the tender to deliver the SAFE Taskforce Barbershop Experience Programme for a second consecutive year. Each school works with a group of 15 young people, meaning we directly support 90 young people across Brixton (six different cohorts, engaging two schools simultaneously for 12 weeks at a time). The programme provides a safe, culturally relevant, and empowering space for young black boys to explore identity, wellbeing, and positive masculinity through the familiar and trusted setting of the barbershop in their school. During the first year of delivery, we went above and beyond the contracted work by securing additional funding independently to introduce a one-to-one mentoring component alongside the group sessions. We did this because, as an organisation rooted in frontline youth work, we recognised the need for personalised, sustained support beyond the group environment.

Building on this proven success, we are seeking funding to continue the one-to-one mentoring component as part of the new delivery year, ensuring that each participant receives a further 6 weeks of one-to-one needs-led mentoring after completing the 12-week group sessions. Additionally, based on the positive feedback and conversations we had with parents and carers last year, we will introduce monthly parent & carer forums to run alongside the programme. These sessions will create a safe space for parents to share experiences, learn more about the challenges their children face, and gain practical tools to support wellbeing at home.

The independent evaluation of the programme, along with extensive feedback from young people, parents, schools, and the Department for Education demonstrated measurable success and powerful impact of combining group discussions with individual, person-centred mentoring. Young people reported improved self-confidence, emotional regulation, and overall wellbeing, while parents noticed better communication and a greater sense of safety and purpose in their children.

To ensure that engagement continues during the summer holidays, STEP NOW will collaborate with MENT4, a youth organisation specialising in creative mentoring. The Mirror Mirror Programme, created by MOBO Award-winning artist Still Shadey under the umbrella of MENT4, is a flagship initiative empowering young creatives aged 11–17 across South London.

Over the past two years, the programme has supported more than 120 participants equipping them with the skills, confidence, and professional networks to thrive as artists, while using creativity as a powerful outlet for self-expression and wellbeing.

MENT4 will deliver the programme during July and August, offering a creative, therapeutic continuation of the one-to-one mentoring experience. This will maintain continuity, keeping young people positively engaged through summer and reinforcing the progress made during the school term.

This funding will enable us to expand our mentoring capacity, strengthen parental involvement, and sustain continuous support for 90 young people and their families. Its impact will be measurable in the following ways:

• Reduction in youth violence, antisocial behaviour, and school exclusions, through increased engagement and early intervention.
• Improved mental health and wellbeing, as young people develop coping strategies, emotional literacy, and self-esteem.
• Greater family cohesion and communication, through parent engagement and support forums.
• Sustained access to positive role models and trusted adults, reducing isolation and promoting healthy decision-making.
• Stronger community relationships, as young people and families feel more connected, supported, and empowered.