Our Mission
Regenerate creates opportunities for young people to thrive. We inspire and support young people by building strong relationships and creating life changing opportunities, helping them grow in confidence, make the best of their lives, and impact the world for good.
Regenerate has a strong track record of meeting the complex needs of children and young people in Wandsworth since having been established in 2000. Rather than just offering activities, Regenerate supports young people to become independent adults, who realise their potential and give back to society. We provide opportunities for young people who are not in education, employment or training, ex-offenders, school pupils at risk of exclusion and young people (8-24) living on the Ashburton and Alton estates in SW15.
We deliver:
- Positive activities that improve mental and physical health and well-being
- Support to the community to engage with social justice issues through providing practical volunteering opportunities
- Support, training and employment through social enterprise
- Community festivals and events that encourage community cohesion.
OUR STORY
Our FOUNDER, Andy Smith, has lived on the Alton estate since 1996. In response to the crime, drug and anti-social behaviour he observed, and the impact this had on residents, Regenerate was formed. It started small, with a desire to see a change in their community.
Regenerate began delivering projects for young people and children, such as, football clubs, dance and homework clubs, minibus trips out of London, a Juice Bar drop-in youth centre, a music studio, mentoring schemes and trips for young people to volunteer in Kenya and Romania.
Recently, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Regenerate initiated the Roehampton Community Box which provided over 200,000 meals for 1,200 families who were experiencing food poverty.
We have adapted our services for the next financial year which will provide a better context for us to engage with young people in our community as we deliver more streamlined work that can target specific needs.
Our ‘Youth & Community’ service provides a safe space for young people at our youth centres where they can meet with friends and take positive action in their lives by participating in a variety of workshops such as cooking, boxing, music production and trips as well as receiving individual support from our youth workers.
Our ‘Mentoring & Coaching’ programme provides mentoring support for young people aged 10-18 who are living in areas that experience high levels of deprivation including poverty, chronic generational unemployment and family breakdown. They tend to face challenges in life such as at risk of social isolation, low self-esteem and mental health issues and want extra support to focus on their personal development.
Through the ‘Employment’ service, our social enterprise ‘The Feel Good Bakery’ provides paid employment, training and support for young offenders, young people at-risk of offending and vulnerable young people who lack opportunity. Young people on the programme are supported to transition to employment, education or training opportunities at the end of their engagement with the programme.