FAST London is a charity serving youth on the Patmore Estate in Battersea, in the bottom 10% of London areas for income deprivation. The staff invest in creating and growing a community where young people can experience a healthy sense of trust, resilience and hope for the future through running a variety of after school programs and 1-on-1 mentoring sessions. They aim to address challenges faced by its beneficiaries such as:

• Challenging home lives

• Lack of positive role models

• Poverty and social exclusion

• Unemployment and lack of opportunities

• Abuse and neglect

• Low levels of self-esteem, aspiration and resilience

• Poor academic performance and low levels of school attendance

In the year ended Aug-23, 322 youth attended at least one session and the staff spent 190 hours meeting with youth for a 1-on-1 or small group mentoring meeting. For the core group of youth, the staff serve as stable, parental figures and advocates in situations where home life is unstable and lacking in relatively basic resources. The charity is inspired by the Christian faith (faith-based) but not faith-biased, and serve any youth in the area indiscriminately who come along.

How the charity helps:

• They create safe spaces where young people can build trusted relationships and feel known, accepted and respected by their peers and adults.

• They host sports clubs, open access sessions and provide one to one support on the estate.

• They encourage and help the beneficiaries to plan and work hard for the future they aspire for.