The Kids Network is a community of children and volunteer mentors connecting through fun, curiosity and friendship for positive social change.
WHY
The Kids Network supports children at a crucial time in their lives, in the lead up to and often during the transition from primary into secondary school. We do this by providing them with a volunteer mentor, a local hero from their London community.
We exist because 50% of mental health issues can be diagnosed before the age of 14. Way too early there is exam pressure, social media addiction, bullying, and gang grooming.
Children are stressed, depressed, anxious and angry and it affects the disadvantaged disproportionally.
The Kids Network focuses on the individual needs of the child, building confidence and resilience and developing the tools for a positive future. Mentors are trained to deliver child-led sessions, which help them overcome the challenges and complexities of their young lives.
Our programme has a proven impact with 93% of children reporting an increase in their wellbeing.
Now is the time to dream big, to step up and take action to support our little Londoners. Find out how you can get involved and support us today here.
OUR STORY
AND OUR FOUNDER
The Kids Network was founded by Sarah Woodcock in 2017. Starting as a small pilot project Sarah built and grew TKN into a trauma-informed, child-led programme operating across London, and reaching hundreds of children each year.
Her mission, to ensure every child gets to live the life they deserve, drove all our work and she was responsible for helping us to build the strong, values led charity we have today.
Sarah’s original purpose, her values, her lived experience and her ambition – which she outlines in this video – still guide all our work building community and changing lives with children and mentors.
OUR OBJECTIVES
Create connections
We create new connections between people who would not usually cross paths – helping us to understand the world from different perspectives.
Support wellbeing
London can be a stressful place for us all. We take the time to look out for each other, have fun and connect with our community through positive experiences.
Develop tools for the future
Our Network inspires each other to set goals and develop tools to tackle challenges of their present, and prepare them for the future.
MISSION, VISION & VALUES
Vision: Every child gets to live the life they deserve.
Mission: We make meaningful connections in our communities, supporting children through mentoring to feel happy and confident about themselves and their futures.
Values: Fun, connection, diversity, curiosity and integrity.
ANTI-OPPRESSION
The Kids Network exists because children in London disproportionately experience adverse childhood experiences due to systemic minoritisation.
We want every person in our community to feel safe, empowered, brave, valued, aligned and heard. We also want them to have the opportunity to develop their anti-oppression literacy.
We take a trauma-informed approach to anti-oppression work, as with all of our work. This means acknowledging the whole person, working with, not for, and supporting the provision of protective factors so that children’s resilience is developed.
To read our full anti-oppression commitment click the button below
