Mission Statement
Our priorities Raising awareness of the difficulties that some young people face and reaching out to young people in need Emotional support, therapy, guidance and coaching to help young people identify and achieve their goals, with a particular focus on self-development through helping others Promotion of positive, healthy and safe lifestyle choices Provision of education, training, mentoring and positive influences, creative therapies including arts and music, sports, volunteering and work experience placements Providing a safe and welcoming environment where young people can express themselves, feel valued, develop their self-esteem and discover their ambition, including the provision of a physical space where young people can get away from negative influences
Description
We started in 2009 and registered as a charity in 2012. Back then, our main work was supporting a children’s home in Kenya by sending volunteers, providing education, mentoring and physical provisions. Through this work, another substantial impact arose: the positive effect of volunteering on the volunteers themselves.
Over the years our charity has naturally evolved to focus on this important work, and to extend our work with young people in the UK who have experienced difficult backgrounds. We found that by encouraging them to engage in helping others, they experienced an increase in self esteem and a sense of purpose that was able to drive them forwards with enthusiasm.
In 2017 we started to offer emotional support, training and volunteer placements in the UK at our home, Pause Cat Cafe. Through these placements we have helped hundreds of young people, particularly those who need extra support due to shyness, disability or learning difficulties.
