Latest News Our community Croydon Schools Community Engagement programme Supporting vulnerable young people in Croydon The Croydon Schools Engagement Programme started in September 2022, and will run for a minimum of three years. The programme supports vulnerable young people in schools in Croydon who are at risk of exclusion, expulsion, social isolation or already in alternative education. Each young person supported is referred to a bespoke Skills Development Programme together with a comprehensive programme of Health and Wellbeing activities, such as sport and creative arts, to meet their individual needs and to build confidence and engagement with learning at school. We also provide mentoring for many young people- this in partnership with Legacy Youth Zone. The project will build young people’s skills and help them to take an active role in their communities through volunteering, becoming mentors themselves or moving into employment. The Croydon Schools Engagement Project will create the vital, but often missing link, between the community and schools for this age group. Crucially, it will catch those who might fall through the gaps and are at significantly higher risk of entering the youth justice system if interventions are not provided. The project is led by a dedicated Schools and Community Engagement Officer and a specialist Youth Worker. The programme will help remove the barriers that many young people from disadvantaged communities face when accessing additional support outside school. It will also help us work in more depth with vulnerable young people and form closer partnerships with schools and our local Youth Zone to ensure participants receive the specialist support they need and have a significantly better chance at fulfilling their own potential. This programme will run for a minimum of three years and is aiming to support over 700 young people in Croydon. If you would like to find out more about the programme, please get in touch with the team via [email protected] or 020 8660 1461.