From mid-September I will be embarking on my newest (and scariest) adventure thus far, as I have chosen to do a year of volunteer work with the London based charity, XL Project. XLP is a charity focused specifically on children aged 11-18 who are on the verge of exclusion (or have already been) from school and who are at risk of involvement (or are already involved) in gangs, anti-social behaviour and crime.

The charity's gap year programme 'Experience' will have me working up to six days a week and during this time I will be working within schools as a way of directly supporting young people who struggle with learning through before and after school clubs and assemblies, as well as through group sessions that tackle issues such as online safety and anger management. Added to this I will be running church based youth groups on Friday evenings and on Sundays, while also spending several evening's a week on XLP's community buses. These buses travel to 17 inner London estates every week "targeting areas where there is little or no youth work provision" and provide a safe place for the young people to access help and advice, to play, to enjoy a chill-out space, homework station and cooking facilities.

"Young people need to have boundaries, they need to have discipline, they need to have hope. That's what XLP gives them... We need to expand this project and we need to support it." - Boris Johnson, MP

There is no time to take on paid employment so I am appealing to friends, family, associates, church, and small businesses alike to help me raise the £3,800 that is required by XLP as a minimum. I am excited to contribute something of lasting value into young people who may not have the hope for their future that I do. Thank you for your time, consideration and support in enabling me to achieve this goal!