What we do
We’re a youth charity dedicated to helping young people in poverty reach their potential through the power of sport and mentoring.
Our full-time Coach-Mentors work daily in schools in high-deprivation areas – improving attendance, behaviour, wellbeing, and life skills through structured, evidence-based programmes. Beyond school, our Greenhouse Centre provides year-round sport, mentoring, and outreach for young people and communities who need it most.
The magic on top of it all? We stay. For years. While others drop in and out, we’re a daily presence – year after year. Our coaches become one of the most consistent, trusted adults in a young person’s life. That trust and belief is what changes everything.
Too many young people are being left behind
It’s not because they lack potential, but because poverty stacks the odds against them. It affects their education, their mental health, and their future. That’s why, for over 23 years, we’ve built a model that works – changing life chances one relationship at a time.
We don’t just put great people into schools…
We place Coach-Mentors with purpose. It’s backed by data, driven by need, and they’re equipped with a proven curriculum.
Our programmes are grounded in the STEP life skills framework, built around Positive Youth Development, and continually evaluated to make sure they work—and keep working – for those who need them most.
Where We Work
Secondary Schools
Coach-Mentors embedded in schools full time all-year round (including holidays), helping students develop skills, confidence, and a sense of purpose.
Primary Schools
Sport and mentoring tailored to younger children – building early foundations for self-belief, teamwork and resilience. Like secondary, our coach-mentors are there year-round.
The Greenhouse Centre
A year-round hub in Marylebone offering free sport, mentoring, and a sense of belonging to young people and families.
We’re in over 65 schools – largely in London, but also Leicester and Portsmouth.
“Coach is the first person I go to when I’m upset, he’s always been there for me and supported me through hard times… He is one of the only staff members which I feel safe and comfortable around. He helped me become a better person and help me learn not only basketball but also how to understand myself more as a person… I can’t begin to imagine my school experience without him. Coach has helped me to build my character, he motivates me to work hard in my lessons, and he has taught me to be kind in every aspect in what I do. Coach doesn’t just teach people how to play basketball, he teaches people how to be a better version of themselves.”
– Zayd, 14
Our approach
Our approach is rooted in Positive Youth Development – a strengths-based model that helps young people discover what they’re capable of, and who they can become.
To ensure quality and consistency, we’ve developed the Greenhouse Curriculum – a structured, evidence-based programme that sets a new standard for youth development through sport. Built with leading experts, it includes: age-appropriate coaching plans linked to STEP, built-in mentoring and reflection moments, and outcomes aligned to school priorities like attendance, behaviour, and wellbeing.
Every activity, both on and off the court, is designed to unlock potential. Our STEP life skills Framework builds on four key areas in every session:
What it looks like day to day
Coach-Mentors lead sessions before, during, and after school:
- Before school: breakfast clubs that offer structure, calm, and connection
- During school: one-to-one mentoring, targeted interventions, and small group support
- After school: sport sessions that build trust, discipline, and belonging
Sport is the entry point – but every session is about skills, confidence, and relationships that last. Coaches stay at a school for a minimum of three years, but most stay much longer, because schools see the impact not just on Greenhouse young people, but on the whole school community.
Beyond the school gates
Greenhouse goes further. We create opportunities that raise ambitions and open doors:
- Enrichment trips to museums, exhibitions, and meeting Olympians!
- Tournaments and residentials that build independence and connection
- Employability experiences with our partners – from office visits to work experience
- Holiday camps that keep young people active, safe, and supported year-round
The Greenhouse Centre
In addition to our schools programme, we run the Greenhouse Centre – a dedicated community hub in the heart of Westminster.
Set in a restored 17th-century church, the Centre is more than bricks and mortar. It’s a safe, welcoming space where young people and families can access free sport, mentoring, and support – seven days a week.
Led by full-time Coach-Mentors and underpinned by the same curriculum and framework as our school programmes, it deepens our impact and expands opportunity in one of the most deprived areas of the country.
We focus on the young people who need us most
We work with young people facing multiple, compounding barriers. That includes those who:
The difference your support makes
Our programmes work. The results speak for themselves:
Donate and help us reach more young people
We know what works. We have the people, the programme, and the track record. But we can’t do it alone. Your support helps do more.