Empowering communities through skills, support, and opportunity — with your help, we're planting the seeds of lasting local change in Kingston.
No more looking away. We are a grassroots response to youth violence. We train mentors, activate local spaces, and build trust where it’s been broken.
Partner with us to protect and empower the next generation.
Serious youth violence is rising in Kingston — and it affects us all. Enforcement and punishment alone aren’t enough. Schools and police can’t do it alone. Too many young people, particularly boys and young men, are slipping through the cracks. They’re not in school, not in employment, and not being supported — and their lives are becoming invisible. Safe Haven Kingston is here to change that. We’re building a borough-wide network of trained mentors and Safe Haven venues — community spaces where young people are supported, not judged.
100+ Safe Haven venues
500 trained community mentors
A borough where care is visible on every street
No young person left unsupported or unseen
Across the UK, thousands of young people are falling through the gaps — not in education, employment, or training (NEET). They’re out of school, off the radar, and disconnected from opportunity.
We call them the generation of disappeared children — unseen by systems, but highly vulnerable to harm, violence, and exploitation.
Safe Havens can help bring them back into community — giving them somewhere safe to go, someone who listens, and a chance to reimagine their future.
Knife possession among under-18s has risen by 77% over the last decade. Many boys are carrying weapons not out of malice, but out of fear, pressure, or desperation. Some are just 11 years old.
At the same time, we are witnessing a rise in violence against women and girls. These issues are interconnected — both rooted in a lack of guidance, empathy, and safe spaces for young people.
By investing in mentoring boys and young men early, we don’t just reduce violence — we change lives, protect communities, and shift culture.
"Boys with a mentor are over 50% less likely to be arrested and 41% less likely to use drugs." (University of Illinois Chicago)
Working with boys and young men at the grassroots level is crucial to reducing violence against women and girls because it addresses harmful gender norms early, promotes empathy and respect, and fosters positive masculinity. Through local mentoring, education, and peer-led initiatives, boys can unlearn violence, challenge toxic behaviours, and become allies in promoting gender equality. These programmes create safe spaces for open discussion, accountability, and healing, helping to prevent future perpetration by tackling root causes before they escalate. By empowering young men to lead change within their own communities, grassroots work creates lasting cultural shifts that make societies safer and more respectful for women and girls.
What makes Safe Haven Kingston different is that it’s powered by our people. It’s not a top-down programme — it’s a grassroots movement, designed for Kingston, by Kingston.
Rather than relying solely on institutions, we’re building a community-first model where local businesses, barbers, cafés, libraries, and neighbours become part of the solution.
This is a place-based, relationship-driven, and prevention-focused strategy that works because it’s local, visible, and human.
In Kingston, we’re choosing to act — together. And in doing so, we’re creating a model that others can learn from.
We are professionals, educators, business owners, youth advocates, and residents — all committed to building a safer, more connected Kingston.
Our leadership includes:
We are united by a belief that when we act together, we can create lasting change.
This is more than a project — it’s a movement. Let’s create spaces where young people feel welcome, supported, and empowered to thrive
