Another Way – Gangs Work
Throughout all of our youth work we strive to create safe-spaces, in every way, both practically in terms of reducing any risks in activities that we do and also in building trust and confidence in young people to be able to express their thoughts, feelings and emotions, so that they can be honest and are able to confide in our staff if they need help and support.
Outside of the many pressures and challenges children face as they grow-up, such as bullying, exam pressures, peer pressures and the effects of social media, we are very aware of risk of criminal grooming and exploitation that, unfortunately, is very pervasive in the areas where we work and in many ways the issue has got worse.
Over the last few years, a number of our young people have lost their lives to knife crime, had life changing injuries or been perpetrators.
Info graphic showing rising rates of recorded youth knife crime in London
Due to all of this we are incredibly motivated to provide a safe space, positive activities and individual support to those young people who are at the highest risk of being groomed and exploited.
Contact us if you’d like more information about Gangs Work.
Another Way – Violence Reduction Project
Specifically, we engage young people, aged 14-21+, who are at a high risk of, or currently are, involved in criminality and high-risk behaviour. We will do this through a detached youth-work model whereby our youth workers and trained community volunteers engage with young people on the streets late at night and bring them back to our clubs for free food and fun and interesting/developmental activities. We also accept referrals from agencies working with young people in the criminal justice system, social workers and from schools.
From these sessions the young people will be paired with trained mentors who will support them into our own, and partner, services and activities offering specialist support such as counselling, advice services and work focused training.
In the last year we have run 104 late night safe-space sessions in 3 locations in West London working with 73 young people aged 14-21. The sessions ran until at least midnight, and we provided a range of activities such as access to the gym, music studio and games, as well as food, group workshops and individual advice and support.
Around a third of the young people, we engaged don’t have a stable place to live, with many living in hostels or others ‘sofa-surfing’. Many have fairly pronounced substance-mis-use issues and from staff assessment/feedback at least half show behaviours contingent with anxiety and depression.
We also ran a street youth work program with our workers out twice a week visiting areas where the council and police have highlighted issues such as anti-social behaviour or criminal activity. We work to both provide immediate support and to signpost them to local support services and our own and other youth provisions.
This is vital work that saves lives and reduces harm to the local community and wider society. We have a passionate dedicated team working past midnight, providing invaluable support to young people at the highest risk of harm. This project has received widespread recognition from Central Government, The Greater London Authority and Media Outlets. The work is part of a Public Health Approach to the issues of Serious Youth Violence and Community Safety.
Contact us if you’d like more information on this project.
Moving on Up – Class Room Support
The ‘Moving on Up’ programme aims to build confidence, recognise strengths, and develop skills that can be transferred into the classroom, giving children a better chance to access and understand their education.
We work with local primary schools who send us their most challenging children to work with during the school day. The project offers an alternative to exclusion and supports a child’s human right to an education.
Moving On Up is more than just an intervention programme. The project offers an alternative to exclusion and supports a child’s human right to an education. The team works extremely closely with social workers, family support workers, Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator (SENCO), class teachers, parents, and other professionals to provide a holistic approach to each young person’s needs. The programme runs 45 weeks of the year, delivering 117 sessions in total.
Since the project began, in 2019, we have worked with 117 children and 7 primary schools. Whilst engaged in the project no child has been excluded from school Further to this all the children have been successfully reintegrated into their chosen schools, whether specialist or mainstream.
Contact us if you’d like more information on this project.
”It has been running in our school for a few years now and I can really see the impact. The children are more able to engage in their learning, they have experiences to talk about with others, which helps them develop social skills and most importantly they believe in themselves. It is hard to describe truly how valuable this programme is to our young people, but I can confidently say it is the most impactful intervention I’ve experienced in my career.
Gemma PotterYear 5 Teacher (Miles Coverdale School)
Young Entrepreneur – Small Business Mentoring
The Young Entrepreneurs Programme is tailored for ambitious individuals aged 18-24 who are keen to transform their innovative ideas into thriving businesses. This programme provides young people with the tools, knowledge, and mentorship needed to navigate the entrepreneurial journey, offering a unique opportunity to learn from industry experts and experienced business professionals.
The Young Entrepreneur Programme kicks off with an exclusive opportunity to meet Laurence Saffer, the project’s investor. Laurence is a self-made millionaire, mentor, and serial investor in start-up businesses, with a truly inspiring journey from rags to riches. With his extensive experience and success in the business world, Laurence is eager to share his knowledge and help young people achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.
Selected applicants will receive a free, six-week intensive course provided by the Harrow Club. This training focuses on building a solid foundation of business skills essential for any aspiring entrepreneur.
- Finding Your Why
- Idea Validation and Business Plans
- Idea Execution: Product/Project Management, Team & Culture, Tech
- Idea Execution 2: Mindful Goal Setting, Process Paths, and SMART Targets
- 3 P’s: Public Speaking, Presenting, Pitching
- Pitching to investors
Each participant will have the opportunity to be supported by a business mentor with real-world experience in the business world. This mentorship is designed to provide personalised guidance, navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.
- Expert Guidance: Learn from seasoned professionals and successful entrepreneurs.
- Practical Skills: Gain essential business skills that will set you apart in the competitive world of startups.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded peers and industry leaders.
- Personal Growth: Overcome limiting beliefs and build confidence in your abilities.
Contact us if you’d like more information on this project.
”This experience has been nothing but positive! After a hard week of work and the same repetitive cycle, this course gave me the chance to work on my own projects and aspirations—ones I once thought were almost unachievable. Coming from a place with limited options, these sessions re-lit the fire within me, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity.
Our teacher Ben is amazing—extremely knowledgeable and speaks from experience. He helps us see our ideas as more than just dreams, breaking them down into achievable steps. It’s so motivating to be around someone like that!
The positive mindset of everyone involved made it even better. The Harrow Club greets you with kindness and smiles, embodying humble values that truly make a difference. This has not only helped me with business but also changed my perspective in life.
I look forward to every Wednesday session—it’s been nothing short of inspiring. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone!
Bored and disengaged at school? At risk of exclusion? Our Debate Box programme is a thrilling way to channel energy into a positive activity. Partnering with Debate Mate – a charity that teaches key skills through after-school debating clubs – the programme combines their interactive lessons with boxing coaching from London Sports Trust. Students focus on the shared skills needed for both boxing and debating: learning strategy, self-confidence, focus, composure and hard work.
We are developing this programme to make a real impact to particularly marginalised and at risk groups or those who often lack opportunities to take part in sport and develop team-building skills. We have recently piloted approaches with transition year students in Year 7, a girls-only group and young people who are involved in gangs.
We have excellent feedback from participating schools and groups and this is a proven intervention that has improved confidence, behaviour and attainment for the majority taking part.
To learn more about debate boxing, please contact us.
Set up in response to rising levels of motor crime in the local Notting Dale area, we designed the Motor Project as a way to provide young people with legal thrills − something identified by our focus groups as lacking in existing youth work.
By allowing young people to experience the excitement of motor sport in a controlled, constructive environment, and by working closely with Transport for London and community safety, we have been able to combat rising crime rates and provide some of the most challenging young people with a broad base of transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, and organisation.
Each Motor Project is specifically designed for the needs of that particular group, but here are a few examples of what we can offer:
- Character building and behaviour management programmes
- A week-long course where students design, build and race a go-kart against each other
- Motor maintenance courses and workshops
- Motor sports days out, such as go-karting, motor X, quad biking and motor shows
- Tournaments allowing students the opportunity to compete against other clubs
- Customisation workshops for go-karts, hovercrafts, bikes and motor accessories
The Motor Project aims to address fundamental skills across all areas of the programmes. These are just some of the many benefits students will learn from participating in this thrilling experience:
- Health and safety – Students are taught the importance of health and safety and are confronted with the effects of irresponsible road usage through video footage and discussions.
- Teamwork skills – Young people develop teamwork skills and learn to distribute tasks, taking responsibility for their own contribution whilst being motivated to share in group success.
- Accreditation – Students are given the opportunity to earn various recognised accreditations, ranging from Youth Achievement Awards to AQAs and DOEAs.
- Self-confidence – Overall, young people are taught to recognise the value of their achievement through active participation in an exciting and rewarding set of challenges.
Contact us to see how we can work with you to design the perfect motor project.
At Harrow Club, we’re proud to offer state-of-the-art music production booths from our main centre as well as high quality recording and mixing equipment at all of our youth club locations. Our music projects are designed to empower young people with creative opportunities.
These spaces provide a hands-on experience in music production, where young people can explore their musical talents, develop technical skills, and express themselves through sound. Whether they are beginners curious about how music is made or aspiring musicians looking to record their own tracks, our facilities cater to all levels and interests.
Each session is led by our dedicated and experienced music production team, who guide participants through every step of the process—from understanding equipment to producing a final recording. Young people will gain valuable insights into beat-making, mixing, mastering, and vocal recording in a supportive and inspiring environment. They’ll leave not only with a track they can be proud of but also with practical skills and confidence that can open doors to future opportunities in music and beyond.
Drop us an email if you’re interesting in music.
Our most recent production, ‘Girls’ working with 2HeavyProductions and the young people of Chelsea Youth Club debuted in October, 2024.
Contact us if you’re interesting in drama.
In recent years we have delivered a cricket project with Afghan refugees, Urban Tennis and Zorb-balling. Sport is integral to the youth work for young people as it provides opportunities to stay active, build confidence, and learn from experienced coaches.
Our football sessions are delivered in conjunction Chelsea FC Foundation and QPR in the Community Trust through their ‘Kicks’ programme. We currently run sessions at 4 of our six youth clubs and link in with other local providers at the others. Over the years we have entered teams in a range of competitions, both male and female, and we continue to signpost talented young players to the academies operating in the area, many linked to Premier League and Championship clubs.
Our basketball sessions are run in partnership with M.B.S. Soul, a well-respected community organization that has been active for over 25 years. Led by legendary coach Tony (Huggy) and a team of seasoned players, many of whom are former members of our own club, these sessions teach everything from basic dribbling to advanced plays, helping participants improve their fitness and teamwork skills. Sessions are held on our high-quality indoor court, and players of all levels are welcome to join, with opportunities for competitive play in leagues like the London Metropolitan Basketball League.
Our boxing program is led by the Cuban Boxing Academy, founded by Marcos Camejo in 2010. Inspired by the rigorous training methods of the Cuban Olympic team, these sessions offer everything from beginner-friendly, non-contact classes to advanced training for amateur competitions. Open to all fitness levels, the boxing club provides a supportive environment for young people to get fit, relieve stress, and build confidence. For Harrow Youth Club members, free training sessions are available on Tuesdays and Fridays, making this a popular program for those looking to improve both physical and mental resilience.
If you would like to find out more about joining one of our sports teams please contact us.