Young Westminster Foundation’s Helping Hands Programme is excited to launch two films. These films are a testament to the impact of our programme and feature the inspiring Community Leaders Deujean Bernard and Eartha Pond. The films vividly portray the exceptional contributions of our community leaders, who are dedicated to making a positive impact and unwaveringly committed to creating meaningful change in their local area and beyond. The film offers a poignant glimpse into the lives and work of these unsung heroes, illuminating their passion, resilience, and unwavering commitment to creating meaningful change. The films invite viewers to hear about Deujean’s transformative journey and Eartha’s passion for creating sustainable change, both of whose tireless efforts have transformed lives and uplifted communities. From grassroots activists and social entrepreneurs to educators and advocates, each individual featured in the film embodies the spirit of compassion, empathy, and service, embodying the values of the Helping Hands Programme.

The Helping Hands Programme is built on the foundation of community empowerment. It centres around creating interventions led by the voices of young people and community members directly and indirectly impacted by Youth Violence. Our Programme comprises three key areas: our Community Network, Community Fund, and Capacity-Building offer for local community organisations.

Our community partner, Harrow Road Soup Kitchen, is pivotal in delivering our Community Network in the North Paddington area. This network ensures that the community authentically holds and directs the process, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. The Community Network is a safe and community-led space for partners, community members, and residents to openly speak about the impact of violence in our communities and discuss the pre-emptive and proactive measures that need to be implemented. 

The Community Fund is a community-led grants initiative that awards funding to organisations and individuals working in partnership with local organisations to deliver projects directly to community members and/or young people. The Fund focuses on opportunities to offer prevention and intervention for youth violence in the community.

The funding has been made available through contributions from the Westminster City Council, the London Violence Reduction Unit and the Young Westminster Foundation.

The Community Fund Panel, chaired by local community leaders, partners, residents, and young people, has been instrumental in driving positive change. In the last two years, the Community Fund has distributed £80,000, funding 17 place-based projects across Church Street, Westbourne, Harrow Road and Queen’s Park wards, making a tangible difference in our communities.

The Chair of our North Paddington Community Fund Panel covering Westbourne, Harrow Road and Queens Park Wards, Deujean Bernard, founder of Harrow Road Soup Kitchen and local resident, said.

”It was a great experience and honour being given the opportunity to chair the Helping Hands panel. I received support from the previous Community Fund and saw its impact on our organisation. It’s a nice change to be able to have a say in some of the projects happening within our community around the issue of Serious Youth Violence. This should be used as a template for other community-led initiatives.”