New Horizon Youth Centre
Providing holistic, trauma-informed support to London’s most at-risk young people
2021 was the worst year for teenage killings in London on record, with the majority of victims being from ethnic minority backgrounds.
New Horizon Youth Centre provides safe spaces and tailored, trauma-informed support plans for young people at high risk of violence, as well as those in danger of criminal exploitation and offending behaviour.
In 2019, 70% of over 100 young people in New Horizon’s Youth Outreach Project (YOP) had been stabbed at least once in the last five years. All had grown up in poverty, and 80% had experienced violence as a child.
By providing mental health support, emergency housing, education and prison outreach for young people, New Horizon Youth Centre hopes to change these terrible statistics. It has supported over 1,500 young people over the last five years, including placing over 500 young people in safe accommodation.
New Horizon’s Youth Outreach Project is run by a specialist team trained to provide holistic, long-term and trauma-informed support for communities and those in prison. It takes a public health approach to address the underlying drivers of serious violence, and support plans are tailored to each individual’s needs, aspirations and choices.
Awards judge Rachel Cockett said the charity clearly works with many young people with highly complex needs and takes an holistic response to the problems that they face.
Nicola Toyer added that the charity provided clear evidence of the impressive impact its work was having on children and young people across London and the partnerships that it had built with other services.
CC Reg no. 276943