Navigating Crisis Project

4-22 Foundation is a UK not-for-profit organization founded in 2019. We offer continuous and integrated long-term support to young people through every stage of their childhood, from the ages of 4 to 22. Based in Tottenham, in the London borough of Haringey, we focus on those most at risk of disadvantage.

We offer safe and supportive opportunities where young people can raise and then achieve their aspirations.

We are tremendously excited at the enormous potential that our programme and partnerships possess for improving the lives of young people.

The need for the project

Rising unemployment caused by the COVID-19 outbreak has greatly exacerbated joblessness and disadvantage within Tottenham. The resulting economic and social deprivation has also had a significant negative impact on young people.

Young people have expressed anxiety to us about:
• Not having an overall understanding of what they should be working towards
• Not making the most of this time to learn new skills and have fun with learning due to stress
• Not having structure in their day-to-day activities

Additionally, many young people are experiencing trauma as a result of losing parents or family members during the COVID-19 outbreak. The negative economic impact and record highs of youth unemployment will remain key factors for 4-22 Foundation throughout 2021.

Project aims

This project has been designed, in consultation with the local community, to address the urgent needs of local young people in the following ways:

• To support young people with the employability skills and job search training they require to find full-time work

• To provide mentors from the world of work who will provide mentoring, career development advice, internships, work placements and shadowing opportunities

• To address the negative effects of social distancing on young people including worry, uncertainty, boredom and managing conflict at home

• Professional counselling will improve the mental health and well-being of young people who have experienced trauma through the bereavement or illness of family members or friends, due to COVID-19

Being in work would have a transformative impact on the participants of the project. At work they would be:

• Learning new skills, taking pleasure in learning, problem-solving and completing tasks, providing focus and confidence

• Improving their confidence, raising their aspirations and enabling their potential

• Positively engaged, keeping away from anti-social behaviour and criminal activity

Our Impact

From February to July 2021 we supported a group of young people into paid employment, training or prepared them to be significantly more job-ready. These results were achieved by our employability advisors workshopping the young person’s CVs, helping with direct job searching, assisting with job applications, and conducting interview practice. Our support was personalised and allowed young people to build trust relationships with their advisor.

We recognise that struggles with mental health can be a key barrier for young people accessing employment, especially during the pandemic. Access to counselling and support from mentors removed this key barrier to accessing employment.

To read more about our impact, please download our impact report on our Navigating Crisis project below.

4-22 Foundation – Navigating Crisis 2021 – Impact ReportDownload