We take an issues-led approach, providing evidence-based interventions to tackle some of the world’s most urgent and complex challenges. Our programmes focus on the areas that matter most to the young people and communities we serve, such as climate change, gender equality and inclusion, employability, social cohesion and digital citizenship.
We respond to these issues by focusing on what drives lasting change: equipping young people with the skills, confidence and connections to shape their own futures, and strengthening the trust and understanding that hold societies together.
Programme design
Our programmes follow a simple but powerful model: learn, do, connect. Young people gain new skills in ways that fit their local context; apply them through peer-led projects that address community priorities; and connect with national and international networks to exchange learning and influence decisions that affect them. Our skills development blends practical competencies—such as digital literacy, project planning and research—with intrinsic qualities like confidence, collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking.
Alongside this, we bring people together across social, cultural and political divides to build understanding and shared purpose, working with partners to tackle issues like misinformation and disinformation as well as polarisation and social fragmentation.
To achieve our goals, we design and deliver programmes in the following areas:
Track record
Our work is underpinned by an extensive, decades-long history of delivering high-impact contracts and projects in countries across the globe. We work with a wide range of different clients including HSBC, Mastercard, the Premier League, European Commission, the UK Integrated Security Fund (UKISF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Our work includes large-scale interventions like the FCDO-funded Aawaz II programme in Pakistan, which reached 35 million people, tackling harmful practices such as exclusion, exploitation and intolerance. We have strong experience of collaborating with corporate partners, such as the global Climate Skills programme with HSBC, where we equipped marginalised young people with skills for climate resilience. We also operate confidently in conflict affected areas including Ethiopia, Syria, Ukraine, Myanmar and Sudan, where we are currently delivering a Better Migration Management programme in partnership with other organisations, funded by the European Commission.
Why we are different
We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries worldwide, with a rich cultural diversity among our expert internal and external staff. We have unparalleled access to partners in the UK and internationally, from governments to civil society organisations to the private sector. This extensive global network enables us to approach challenges from multiple perspectives and rapidly adapt to meet changing circumstances and timelines.
We are flexible and responsive, with tried and tested methodologies and rigorous project management standards to ensure efficient delivery and excellent value for money.
Our longstanding presence in each location gives us a deep understanding of the political economy of the countries where we work, as well as strong relationships with local organisations. We are respected as a trusted and credible partner. Our unique combination of local knowledge and global reach enables us to deliver at both the strategic and grassroots level, creating sustainable solutions with lasting impact and measurable change.
