About Us

Our Mission

Empowering, inspiring, and supporting BAME children and young people to improve their life opportunities and to contribute positively to the communities in which they live.

Our Vision

We aspire to live in a safer, stronger, and more cohesive community where every child and young person should have the opportunity to realise their potential whatever their life circumstances.

Our Aims

To enhance the well-being and life chances of BAME children and young people in the UK aged 10 – 24 years old and 30 years old for those with disabilities.
To create a community where BAME children and young people feel valued safe and supported wherever they are on their personal life journey.
To develop BAME children and young people in realising their emotions, skills, and abilities and how to use them to communicate, interact and network with others.

To enable good role models to inspire the making of good life choices, with further signposting opportunities, so that BAME children and young people can grow and develop to become the best version of themselves.
To encourage BAME children and young people to have a voice and to be actively involved in the development of the world around them.

What We Do

The common goal that we all share is better outcomes for young people

Supporting 7,860 young people, 617 youth groups and over 868 youth workers. We are proud of the varied, universal youth work our network delivers and the innovative solutions our members create in an ever-changing youth work landscape.

Activities

Arts & Crafts

Themed arts, cards and gifts, graffiti art, face painting, glass painting, hair braiding, mobiles, puppets, printing.

Games & Problem-solving

Team games, non-competitive games, group games, team-building games, puzzles and quizzes.

Cooking lessons & Healthy Eating

Traditional foods, pancakes, cake decorating, non-alcoholic cocktails.

Health Activities

Sexual and reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) awareness, chlamydia screening, health and wellbeing, mental health, workshops from CCGs and vaccination.

The Arts

Drama, music, video, dance, painting.

Sports & Physical Activities

Traditional sports, unusual sports, competitions, physical activities.

Issue Based Activities

Drugs and alcohol, rough sleeping and homelessness, sex and sexuality, anti-racism, antibullying, environmental, global citizenship.

Information, Advice & Guidance

Providing information, advice and guidance on benefits, housing, education, CV-writing, job search, interview skills, homelessness, money and debt.

HOW WE DO IT

We provide opportunities for learning, development and growth

We provide our members with training, accreditation and the opportunities to develop learn grow and thrive now and in the future. We do this through youth work, youth action, youth clubs, youth activity, youth mentoring, youth voice, school-based work, and targeted youth work.

Young people are at the heart of everything we do

Youth Work

We work with young people directly, consulting, listening and responding to what they tell us they need and dream of having. We work with our partners in the UK to build links across nations bringing young people together promoting global citizenship, understanding and cultural exchange. We identify new ways of working, evaluating and monitoring all that we do to assure quality, and to be proactive and innovative in the sharing of good practice and learning.

Creativity is Key

Our links with leading arts organisation assures we can give young people creative and expressive opportunities. Our network brings together voluntary and statutory organisations to make the most of resources, share expertise and prioritise collaboration and partnership. We have a long-standing history and foundation but we are also flexible and able to respond to a changing sector and their need.

Safe Spaces

Young people’s rights and participation are the bedrock of our work. We challenge inequality and discrimination supporting organisation to work with young people in a way that recognises and respects their authentic selves and individual experiences. We work creatively to support young people to identify and address their concerns and aspirations.

Our Impact

Our work reaches over 7,860 young people and supports 868 youth workers. This section highlights just some of the real impact this makes nationally in a challenging youth work landscape.

GOVERNANCE

The organisation aims to assist young people to reach their full potential

BME Youth is a youth organisation with a solid governance structure, including a board of elected and co-opted trustees and detailed Articles of Association.
BME Youth is run and managed by an independent board of five members.

Our Objectives

In particular the organisation objectives

To encourage BAME young people in the UK aged from 5-25 years of age to find new interests, to form positive relationships with other people, and to contribute to developments in their own and the wider community;
To encourage BAME young people in the UK to organise and conduct activities for themselves, thus learning to aspire and achieve, accept and handle responsibility;

To provide training and other support for volunteers and paid workers who support the development of young people;
To encourage the involvement of BAME young people in the UK in a range of projects (delivered in the UK or elsewhere) which contribute to their development and their local communities;
To support a thriving network of diverse organisations that use a youth work approach.

Our Values

Diversity

Young people are unique and those individual differences are of great value, are to be respected, and central to all that we do.

Participation

Young people are creative partners in our vision and work.

Opportunity

Opportunities enable authentic creativity and growth. They are essential to learning, vital for developing self-expression, self-confidence, and problem solving.

Equality

Young people have the right to an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives, talents, and strengths.

Inclusion

Young people have different needs, identifying solutions and responding personally at a pace that respects their individuality, is essential.

Achievement

Young people have the potential to achieve great things and to live fulfilling, meaningful, and positive lives.

Get Involved

Become a Member

Getting membership to BME Youth is quick, easy and affordable and comes with a great package of benefits to any youth group, old or new.

Practical knowledge & resources
Training for workers and young people
PVG & Child Protection
Accreditation for Young People
Access to programmes

Membership

Apply for Funding

Applications for funding have now closed. We have closed early due to high demand.

Contact Us

Get in touch using the details below or complete the form and we will get back to you.

BME YOUTH HEAD OFFICE

01603 748403 info@bmeyouth.org.uk Contact Us