Regardless of who you are,
equality should always rule.
We are built on five principles: Equity, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. These are the standards we hold ourselves to every single day in Newham.
Our six commitments
What we actually do, not just what we believe.
Everyone gets treated fairly here
Who you are, where you grew up and what is going on in your life does not change how you are treated by our staff and volunteers. Every young person gets the same dignity and respect. We work hard to keep discrimination out of everything we do, in how we run sessions, who we bring onto the team and the decisions we make day to day.
We celebrate every part of who you are
Your culture, language, faith, identity and background are not things to push to one side. Newham is one of the most ethnically diverse boroughs in the country, and our members reflect that: different languages spoken at home, different faiths observed, different journeys that brought their families here. That mix makes us stronger, and we want every young person to feel genuinely welcome as themselves, not as a version of themselves that fits in more easily.
We remove the barriers so you can get involved
We look at what actually stops young people from joining in and we deal with it. In a borough where a large share of families are living below the poverty line, the biggest barrier is often simply cost, which is why every session we run is free. Beyond that, it might mean adjusting how a session runs for someone with a disability, or just making sure our communication is clear and actually reaches people. Nobody should miss out on something we could have fixed.
We speak up about inequality and act on it
Some young people have a much harder starting point than others, and we do not pretend otherwise. We challenge unfair practices wherever we find them, including the ones that are quietly built into systems and policies rather than showing up in obvious ways.
A space where you can grow and feel good
When you feel genuinely seen and included you do better in every sense. You get more out of sessions, you develop more as a person and your wellbeing improves. That is not a side effect of what we do at Youth Active. It is the whole reason we do it.
We want you to take this out into the world
Experiencing fairness here is just the start. We want to help young people build the confidence and the values to carry that out into their own streets and communities across Newham: to speak up, look out for others, and make things a little better wherever they go.
What is the difference between equality and equity?
Equality
Treating everyone the same. Giving every young person the same resources, the same access and the same opportunity. It is a good starting point but it is not always enough on its own.
Equity
Recognising that some young people start from a much harder place and need more support to reach the same point. Equity means giving people what they actually need rather than just the same thing as everyone else.
We aim for both.
We treat everyone fairly and we give extra support to the young people who need it most. That is not favouritism. That is what it actually takes to make things genuinely fair.
Our doors are open to every young person. No exceptions.
Our team actively reaches out to young people who often get left out of mainstream provision. That includes young people who are homeless, young mothers, young people dealing with disabilities or mental health challenges, care leavers and young people from refugee or asylum seeking backgrounds.
If any of that sounds like you or someone you know, you are exactly who we are here for. Any nationality, any faith, any gender, any background. You are welcome.
Youth Active welcomes young disabled people to all of our programmes.
We aim to empower and optimise the potential of children and young people who have a disability between the ages of 8 and 25. This is achieved through a range of work, at both the youth centre and in the community. Our youth workers support young people through informal and experiential learning in order to gain knowledge, skills, make informed choices and assist in their personal development.
Youth Active treats all young people fairly and equally as individuals and aims to provide young people with a safe, caring, well-equipped environment which is accessible to all young people who wish to attend, giving them the opportunity to participate in personal and social development activities including arts, drama, music and sport.
Our clubs provide a diverse range of activities in which young people can participate, and have mechanisms for ensuring that members' voices are heard through consultations and evaluations. We also encourage young people to represent themselves and their peers on the youth club management committee.
Something does not feel right? Tell us.
If you or someone you know has been treated unfairly, experienced discrimination or feels excluded from our organisation for any reason, please tell us. Our team takes every concern seriously and will always respond properly. Everything is handled in confidence.
Email us at info@youthactivecic.org or speak to any member of our team at a session.