Peer Outreach Workers

''Through the action of young Londoners comes real change''

The POWs are made up of 30 young Londoners aged 15-25yrs old from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. They are commissioned by the Mayor to engage, inspire and gather the opinions of other young people in the capital. Their work helps shape the policies, strategies and services.

The POWs were set up in 2006.

At any one time, the POWs can lead on up to 15 pan-London projects, which can include:

• piloting new approaches
• working with existing organisations to improve their engagement with young people
• evaluating programmes or services.

The POWs emphasise to decision-makers the importance of involving children and young people in policies and strategies. The POWs motto: “We aspire to inspire”.

The team’s main emphasis is currently on improving educational achievements and opportunities, much of this work focuses on young people who are not in education, employment or training.

POWs projects aim to tackle various issues that young Londoners face:

• Training and work experience
• Health, mental health and well-being
• Tackling youth crime
• Challenging discrimination
• Giving all young Londoners a voice

Please get in touch to attend an event organised by Peer Outreach Workers and find out how you can get involved. You can do this by contacting Mark Mouna at [email protected].

The Children and Young People Participation handbook was designed to give practitioners an easy way to find out about the Peer Outreach Team and ways in which it's possible to work with them. Co-designed by Peer Outreach Team members, you will find information on ways of working and successes of the past, plus a lot more.

The first Neurodiversity Celebration Week runs from 13-17 May. Siena Castellon, a neurodiversity advocate and Mayor's Peer Outreach Worker, tells us more...

Find out how the Peer Outreach Workers have been involved in the Young Londoners Fund.