Founder’s Story

By Javid Patel

During the 2021 summer holidays, former accountant Javid Patel discovered that helping children grow brought him more joy than spreadsheets.

"As a parent, I’m sure I’m not alone in this."

100 families later – it turns out his hunch was right and so Empower Youth was born.

The holiday activities and after-school club activities, like: skateboarding, skiing, ice-skating, horse-riding, arts and crafts and a variety of sports from football to basketball, are exactly the kind of exciting experiences Javid wished he could have had as a child. Even if too much boredom was the valueless void that mindless scrolling now fills for kids. Thankfully, Empower Youth now helps as many kids as possible in East London, to have healthy alternatives to boredom and scrolling.

What is the purpose behind services at Empower Youth?

"I always say that children have more than 10 weeks of holidays every year. If in this time we can give them experiences and skills they wouldn’t otherwise have access to, then this will not only provide them opportunities for physical, emotional, social and spiritual development, but in the long run, when they are applying for university or other career paths, they will excel and set a higher example for their peers, in: skills, ambition, maturity, mindset, confidence, and resilience, which will help them secure better employment, have healthier relationships and more self-awareness to make good decisions on their life journey."

What are the short-term and long-term benefits of skills-based activities?

When it comes to short term benefits, the impact of lots of screen time on brain activity is well-documented. The evidence suggests that screens have a significant detrimental impact on children’s readiness to start learning again when they return back to school at the end of the holidays. As a result, they risk falling further behind in their studies compared to their peers.

Therefore, our programmes provide children with a healthy alternative to staying home, feeling bored alone, hooked on a tablet or phone, unchallenged in their comfort zone. Instead, we engage kids in challenging, growth-zone activities, provide wholesome, hot meals and place them together to make friendly, social connections with other children and inspiring adults. This way, they are ready, refreshed and resiliently grounded, when they get back to school after the holidays. Or, the next day, if they attend after-school club activities.”

We keep doing what we do only because of the positive feedback, appreciation and support shared by parents, staff, volunteers, partner organisations and children, on: the confidence, creativity and character-development boost our activity, skills-based programmes are giving children.

Javid shares that children can also pass on their learning, skills and experience to others and the future generations, if we give them opportunities to stop playing small and start rising TALL!

What makes Empower Youth Different from other children’s activity providers?

Especially with the rise of isolation following COVID, and the comforts of material society, children have become more insulated: protected from struggle but building no growth mindset muscle.

This has been amplified with challenges like obesity and mental health problems like anxiety, which affects 1 in 5 children on a clinical level, as shared by Dr Gabor Mate. This leads to a lack of ambition, aspiration and achievement. When taken together with the fact that both parents are now often working and don't have the time, resources or know how to empower their kids (even if they want to), this means children lack empowerment.

They can even backfire with anger, lack of focus and not reaching their potential even if they are ticking all the usual boxes of high grades, which won’t help them on their own to navigate: LIFE.

They may have skills and such high marks but still lack the real key to reaching potential.

They need a safe space and a true sense of FAMILY in like-minded company, that is healthy for mind, body and soul - holistically.

Empower Youth IS that family because at our programs, children feel connected to themselves and each other, and are listened to and encouraged without judgement or pressure.

It was heartwarming when a teacher asked one of our students as part of aclass activity

Every child is welcomed Empower Youth.

Javid Patel, Founder of Empower Youth

Empowering children early
for a brighter future

Legal

Careers

Get in touch

Terms & Conditions

Accessibility Policy

Safeguarding Commitment

Safeguarding Policy

Admissions Policy

Head Office

Elmhurst School,

Upton Park Rd,

London E7 8JY

Opening Hours

Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm

Work at Empower Youth

Current Vacancies

Volunteer and Work Experience