My name is Raphael Matthews, the founder of “Perception2life Youth of Today and Tomorrow”. Growing up in Southeast London, I was confronted with many issues such as; racism, classification, social disparities, gang violence. It Is sickening seeing this passed down to yet another generation. Last year, according to Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) there was a record of 4.400 incident knife violence. Back in January 2018, my friend's cousin Harry Uzoka was violently murdered as he was coming back from London fashion week. These events led me to believe, that something needs to be done. Hence why I created perception2life.
Perception2Life is a community driven organisation that aims to tackle knife and gun culture through education, training, development and free creative programmes for the underprivileged youth. While sharing resources to grass root organisations, homeless shelters and small charities helping children across the UK. During the holidays we aim to recruit school, college, and university students to work with us to gain experience and skills to put on there CVs for future work.We are now at stage to set up and run, art workshops, music lessons, mentoring sessions and parenting classes.
Since January 2018, we have donated to homeless in South Bank, Strand, Covent Garden, Soho, Oxford Circus) Assisting Street Link, The Salvation Army Centre, providing clothes, toiletries and sleeping bags to rough sleepers in Reading. We worked with 'Waggy Tails' which aid young people with autism at the Emmanuel Centre in Croydon. On November 2018 we donated to Brixton soup Kitchen as they do amazing outreach programmes for the homeless.
Currently we have sent through a proposal to University Greenwich &Trinity Laban Conservatory for building spaces to start free classical music classes. After biding to get space in November 2018, we got 'The Bridge', in Pleasants Park, East Greenwich, where on 28th March 2019 we ran our first 'Reflective Art Programme', to tackle social anxiety and depression.
For more information please check our social media platforms:
Facebook: Perception2Life Youth of Today and Tomorrow
Instagram: Perception2Life_Youth
Our vision is to change a young person's mental capabilities, through training and development, by providing education programmes, aimed to tackle anxiety, low self esteem and confidence. We are in the process of reaching out to local businesses and private businesses to assist with funding, creating awareness through means of marketing and sponsorship.
Perception2life are only funded by the public at present but plan to hold fundraising community events and BBQs to gain contributions to donate to chosen youth organisations and for our programmes. We also have a team of fundraisers that are sent out in different parts of London to do outreach, create awareness and raise funds from the community which are then used to cover our project’s costs such as: Space rent, Art supplies, Webite, Logo, and App design, Laptop, Sports equipment merchandise and stock and classroom utensils, clothes and utensils for homeless youth and orphanages and mini bus for safeguarding the youth etc.
Target funding is £50,000 but £25,000 will aid in making our current youth projects bigger and better.
Despite all our efforts, there is still so much we can do as a community regardless of your social status and ethnic background, we need your support through donation and sponsorship to ensure a better future for our youth.
If you find it in your heart please donate as much as you can even if it's as little as £1.
"It takes one person to make a difference but it takes a nation to create change and take a community to raise a nation.
"Where focus goes energy flows".
Kind Regards
Raphael Matthews
Director of Perception2Life
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London, uk