Creating safe spaces for young people to thrive this Christmas
This year you can double your difference and change the lives of young people in our community, as we create safe spaces for them to thrive!
Our youth workers work incredibly hard every single day, building strong relationships and supporting young people by being consistent, positive role models who truly believe in and celebrate the young people they’re working with. This year, with nationwide cuts despite a rising need for youth services, we’re raising money to keep this vital work going – and you can help!
In partnership with The Big Give and Monday Charitable Trust, every donation you make between 1st – 8th December will be DOUBLED! This means that if we reach our £30,000 donation target, we will have £60,000 to be able to provide youth clubs and activities to hundreds of young people across Wandsworth – giving them a place to overcome barriers and thrive through building confidence, life skills, and positive relationships with trusted role models.
Why?
With £1.2 BILLION in cuts to youth work between 2010 – 2023, the need for these services couldn’t be more clear. These cuts have left hundreds of clubs closed, 4500 youth workers leaving the sector, and a nationwide deficit of safe spaces – meaning young people left with less hope than ever before.
In 2025, the National Youth Agency National Youth Sector Census found that there is:
- Escalating demand for youth services addressing mental health, violence and crime, and employment and skills
- More young people seeking out youth workers as trusted adults
- Notable rise in operating costs, shrinking budgets and low reserves across youth work organisations nationwide
These findings also reflect our own experience over the past few years.
In Wandsworth, teens face London’s second-highest rate of mental health needs. On local social housing estates, young people can face barriers as a result of a number of factors including poverty, trauma, unemployment, and poor mental health. Without positive outlets, they risk isolation, school exclusion, and crime, creating an urgent need for safe spaces where they can be themselves and access support.
Our youth workers work incredibly hard every single day, building strong relationships and supporting these young people by being consistent, positive role models who truly believe in and celebrate the young people they’re working with. And it shows; last year 93% of those we worked with reported a high level of positive behaviour and mental health since coming to our youth club!
The trouble is, limits in budget and a rising demand mean we’re limited in what we can offer, but the importance of investing in safe spaces and youth workers couldn’t be clearer right now:
“Young people across the country need help in the face of serious risks, but the organisations best placed to help them are at risk themselves. We are facing a postcode lottery where youth services in some of our most deprived areas and areas of highest need are also most likely to be in financial jeopardy. Youth workers are working incredibly hard to help young people but are spending as much energy trying to keep the lights on and door open.”
“Youth workers are vitally important and skilled professionals providing a proven, cost-effective way to support young people’s wellbeing, prevent harm and strengthen communities.”
-Leigh Middleton OBECEO National Youth Agency
How are we changing this?
At Regenerate, we invest in professional youth workers, and offer sports, arts, educational workshops, and a hot meal at every youth session. We have strong bases on two local estates in Roehampton and Putney, where young people know they can come to and feel safe, welcomed, and celebrated, no matter who they are. Our team gets to know each young person as an individual and builds deep, trusting relationships, walking alongside young people, offering support and guidance where needed, and offering new opportunities. Our approach shifts young people out of isolation and away from potentially negative pathways, empowering them to:
- Build confidence and discover their strengths and interests in a safe, judgement free space
- Break isolation and develop meaningful relationships and connections
- Explore their identity, values, and ambitions, and set goals
- Seek support and guidance from positive role models who they can trust
- Heal trauma and confidently discover positive pathways
- Be a part of their community, give back, and shape the world around them
We’re raising money to maintain and grow this service this Christmas: Providing safe spaces for young people to thrive. Every donation made on our Big Give page between midday 1st December to Midday 8th December will be doubled, and the money will help us nurture our valued team, as well as cover the costs of the resources we need to maintain our space and run our activities.
Research from UK Youth and Frontier Economics shows that every £1 invested in youth work generates £3.20–£6.40 in social return, By this calculation, if we hit our campaign target, together we’ll generate almost £200,000 in social value!!
What can you do now?
If you’re thinking of supporting Regenerate this Christmas, the Big Give week is the perfect time to do this as every penny you donate will be doubled, at no extra cost to you!
Donations open on Tuesday 1st December, so save the date along with the donation link. To make this easy, you can click the link below to save this to your preferred calendar, and receive a reminder when donations open:
Thank you so much for supporting Regenerate this Christmas, and creating safe spaces for young people to thrive – every single penny counts, and together we will make such a huge difference for young people in our community.
