Free To Be Kids
Rachel
Nichols
Co-Ceo
Mission
Free to Be Kids supports particularly vulnerable inner city children to change their stories about who they are, and who they can be, through our therapeutically structured, nature based residential projects. Children who have never left their local area before lead night walks through the woods, canoe across lakes, and camp out under the stars. Projects are designed to support these children to feel brave, proud, adventurous and successful – often for the first time in a long time.
The children we support are referred to us by schools, social workers and family support organisations, who recognise that they are not fulfilling their potential due to limited confidence, emerging mental health problems, or other social-emotional difficulties. The majority have experienced significant childhood adversity and live in families who do not access more mainstream support. Once we’ve built trust by living alongside hard to reach children on the residentials, the most in need move onto longer term support programmes with us, continuing to support their emotional health, build their confidence and help them see their potential.
Category
Children and Youth
Additional Information
We're a young and growing charity, started five years ago by a passionate group of volunteers, keen to support some of London's most vulnerable children. From there, we've grown from strength to strength, working with several hundred children each year and currently employing three staff members to undertake our day to day running. Our amazing team of over 200 passionate and caring volunteers make a real difference to children's lives and by utilising their skills and talents to undertake as much of our work as possible, we ensure that funding goes further, enabling us to reach more of the children who need our support. In 2019, over 99% of our expenditure was ousted to directly support children. Pro Bono volunteering from professionals through projects such as Pimp My Cause is just one way we are able to maintain this figure.