ReachOut2All1 was born in 2013, hosting events for young people and running youth initiatives. In 2019 we registered as a Community Interest Company. At ReachOut2All CIC, we are all about giving young people, aged 13-30, a voice through their talents. Today I am writing about how we achieve all we do. We cannot do it without others. First though, before the inspiration, here are the basics.
We are a service provider focusing on
∙ Enrichment trips
∙ Workshops
∙ Mentoring
∙ Providing volunteering opportunities
Our aim is to continue to invest in our youth-focused ideas, and advocate for system changes that meet young people’s needs. We have a board of young directors because young people inspire us, act as role models and ensure that we reflect their lived experiences. We can only reach young people through the support of others. In order to make progress, and achieve a sustainable impact, we seek to liaise with schools, charities & other youth organisations aligned with our ethos for young people.
As part of our outreach, we have recently conducted visits to the HQ of YouTube Space London2, The Nelson Mandela Exhibition in London3, the V & A Museum, Sky Academy Studios4 and Tiffany & Co London Exhibition.
We have also been acknowledged for our work by The National Diversity Awards, UCL5
Providing Empowering Advocating Creating Evaluating Offering, and Partnering
Now, this is how we have been able to become greater than ourselves.
1. Providing meaningful opportunities for youth participation and leadership within the organization. This could consist of youth organizations working together to meet the needs of young people through their various services which could be delivered in partnership with another organisation. By doing this you are supporting each other’s work and dedication towards youth work and development. As the founder of ReachOut2All I would definitely say this is one of the key strategic approaches we currently use in order to deliver our services as well as collaborating effectively with others that their values align with ours.
2. Offering skill-building workshops, mentorship programs, and resources to develop youth capacities. This is a very important aspect for young people as they continue to grow develop and constantly learning. Our youth led services include mentoring, workshops, training programmes and enrichment trips. We have particularly found these enrichment trips to be of great value and benefit to our young people.
Our work in this area, enables us to observe first-hand how this effects young people with additional needs or support. We believe a tailored and inclusive approach to our workshops, to meet their needs. Every young person learns differently and processes information in their own way. One example of this is the way we involve our youth advisor volunteers to give us feed-back on our workshops. This enabled is to change all of our workshops by using icons, videos and images to ensure it was accessible for all learners e.g. those with autism and learning needs.
3. Creating safe spaces for dialogue, expression, and collective action on issues relevant to young people. Such safe spaces are vital. We know this well, and our young people con constantly tell us this too. We would like to continue offering these safe spaces for open discussion and hosting events.
Funding is vital to provide this, and we need others to consider what support they might give to ensure our success. Too often we find we can only fund our work out of our personal pockets. This is why we want everyone to get involved to help to deliver a funding stream with is effective and will be sustainable in the long term. More widely, greater support is needed for the whole youth sector to continue offering these services.
4. Partnering with other stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and businesses, to amplify their impact and reach. We can only reach young people through the support of others. I order to progress, and make a sustainable impact, we seek to liaise with schools, charities & other youth organisations aligned with our ethos for young people.
5. Conducting regular evaluations and incorporating feedback from youth to ensure programs are responsive to their needs and interests. We will continue to work with young people to amplify their voices and take the necessary steps, so they are involved in decision making and change, by co-creating with them in our discussions (planning, organising and leading).
6. Advocating for policies and initiatives that promote youth rights, participation, and empowerment at local, national, and international levels. We have been acknowledged for our work by The National Diversity Awards, UCL6
So this is what we do and how we do it. Now hear two of our young volunteers ,as they tell me how they see it.
Troy Njenje Mbanga (ReachOut2All Volunteer) writes:
“There can be no really good project ideas if people don’t work together to improve the work others are doing. We are all working in the same space, but the work we do loses power and value if we don’t just share our resources, but also our expertise. The way we work together improves our ability to raise finance, and bring together the financial engines if the community, such as local businesses, in support. Those who give such assistance will be applauded and recognised for their contributions, so increasing their own public profile for the contribution they make. Together we can make the work we do so much more powerful”
Elishia Alleyne (ReachOut2All Volunteer) writes:
“Since working with ReachOut2All, I have had optimal opportunities to attend critical meetings in the youth empowerment space, adding value to ReachOut2All’s strategy and workshop materials. I feel empowered as a young person to share my ideas, and I have developed an understanding of the importance of sharing my viewpoints and reasonings - I have been able to clearly see how ideas are developed into reality.
The youth empowerment space is developing, but unfortunately the message hasn’t reached a level of success that is adequate globally. ReachOut2All’s organisational ethos is about making sure that all that is done, championed, and created is “For Youth by Youth”. It holds inclusivity and accessibility at the heart. Such an emotive approach makes me feel proud, as a young person, to work alongside ReachOut2All. Embarking on adulthood, one of my strong passions is to make sure that foundations are in place for the next generation to thrive, feel empowered, be seen and be heard within society. The work I am part of as a youth advisor and research assistant enables this vision become a reality”.
FCKL’s Editor writes:
Marian Adejokun is also an international inspirational speaker, Early Years teacher (SEN, EAL & other year groups), the published author of two books, a youth advocate, multi-award winner and entrepreneur. It has always been Marian’s passion to educate and speak at schools primary, secondary, and higher education as she likes to use that platform to empower young children, youths, and adults about her life changing story. Marian has fared and lived by the rules of life and death far greater than most people of her age. An allergic reaction to medication led to a near-death experience that changed her life forever. The details of her struggles and the highlights of her life – both good and bad – are shared in her soul-expanding memoir, “My Life Is Not My Own7” and in other books that you will find here8.
Marian Adejokun
Founder of ReachOut2All CIC
www.reachout2all.co.uk
Further Reading:
[1] https://reachout2all.co.uk
[2] https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/the-youtube-space-london-our-new-home/
[3] https://mandelaexhibition.com
[4] https://www.skyup.sky/academy-studios
[5] https://www.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk
[6] https://www.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk
