Published
“Right now, there’s gang violence happening in the Newtown area and many of our girls and young men are scared to come out,” says Kasharel Belle. For Kasharel and her co-founder, Natina Whitter, who runs Essence Youth Mentoring from The Lighthouse Young People’s Centre in Birmingham, the impact of local violence is an ongoing challenge.
“Our young girls may experience third-party trauma from the violence in the community,” explains Natina. “This can leave them emotionally and mentally distressed, confused, paranoid and angry. But knowing they can come to the Lighthouse and be welcomed by a familiar, friendly face gives them a sense of safety.”
Essence Youth Mentoring provides a safe, non-judgmental space for young people, offering peer-to-peer support alongside adult guidance. Their activities include CBT-informed workshops and life coaching to help young people process traumatic experiences. They also offer opportunities for fun and connection, with cooking classes, dance lessons and after-school clubs providing a space where young people can relax and simply enjoy being kids.
Kasharel and Natina believe their strong community ties are key to building trust with the young people they support. “They see us around the neighbourhood—not just at the Lighthouse or school. They’ll spot us doing our shopping or grabbing food at the local chip shop. That makes them feel more comfortable and able to relate to us,” says Kasharel.
However, recent public spending cuts have severely impacted The Lighthouse. Reduced operating hours have forced Essence to scale back their workshops, meaning fewer young people can access the support they need.
“A lot of our young people come in not knowing their identity, their worth or their value,” shares Natina. “What’s heartbreaking is hearing them say, ‘I’m not going to make it past 15.’ That’s coming from both boys and girls. They don’t see a future beyond secondary school, and that’s a scary thought for us. If the Lighthouse closes, where will our kids go to do something positive and constructive?”
In response to these challenges, the local community is coming together as part of the Youth Endowment Fund’s Neighbourhood Fund in Lozells and Newtown, coordinated by The Aston Villa Foundation. The Neighbourhood Fund empowers local people to make decisions about their community, aiming to prevent children from becoming involved in violent crime or anti-social behaviour.
Essence Youth Mentoring is one of the first local organisations to receive support through the Community Chest Grant, a key element of the fund. Their £10,000 grant, along with funding awarded to MADE CIC and the Huda Centre, will help them continue providing vital services to young people in Newtown and Lozells. Fady Ghobrial, Neighbourhood Lead at the Aston Villa Foundation, says: “We are talking here about a fully community-led programme that empowers individuals from local communities on making decisions to how £1 million can be spent in their local areas to support young people in need of provision. Essence Youth and others alike are just an example of how much impact the programme can have in Lozells and Newtown.”