Weʼre raising £500 to help with the running costs of KMJ Foundation CIO and It takes a village dropin for young people.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZmIDTt-D5EoUSnjb6o_W6A

Young people’s mental heal

th and wellbeing has never been so important.

Did you Know?

One in six children aged five to 16 were identified as having a probable mental health problem in July 2021, a huge increase from one in nine in 2017. That’s five children in every classroom.

The number of A&E attendances by young people aged 18 or under with a recorded diagnosis of a psychiatric condition more than tripled between 2010 and 2018-19.

83% of young people with mental health needs agreed that the coronavirus pandemic had made their mental health worse.

In 2018-19, 24% of 17-year-olds reported having self-harmed in the previous year, and seven per cent reported having self-harmed with suicidal intent at some point in their lives. 16% reported high levels of psychological distress.

Suicide was the leading cause of death for males and females aged between five to 34 in 2019.

Nearly half of 17-19 year-olds with a diagnosable mental health disorder has self-harmed or attempted suicide at some point, rising to 52.7% for young women.

Why KMJ Foundation CIO?

Kamau McCallum James was a passionate Sportsman, Artist, and Gamer, who wanted to be a Gaming Artist, and a devoted Son, Cousin, Friend, Godson, and Grandson.

He was driven by his belief that a fairer, kinder, and more tolerant world. He believed passionately that despite his visual impairment even the greatest academic challenges could be overcome. On 22 August 2019, had an accident, fell, and sustained fatal injuries.

Kamau lived by these words

“I just can’t sit back and wallow, in my own sorrow, but I know one fact: I’ll be one tough act to follow.” – Eminem

Growing Up In Huddersfield

Kamau grew up in Fartown, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire as part of a close family, with his parents Phil and Jackie.

Kamau was considered shy during his childhood but excelled during his school years at Dalton Infant and Juniors, Moor End School and at Huddersfield New College.

Studying

At the time of Kamau’s sudden death he was about to go to Teesside university. Having previously studied at Huddersfield New College.

Initially he struggled and experienced loneliness during her early months of college life. In true Kamau style, he overcame this difficult start and went on to achieve academic success and forge friendships.

Fighting for a Fairer World

Kamau was passionate about things he believed in. He realized that the world was not as kind as he thought it should be. Personal barriers forced him to be more active in consuming the news, studying, and learning about his community and the growing inequalities he saw and experienced.

As a volunteer, he did his bit, helping to break down barriers faced by other young people as in fun and supportive manner

He was passionately on a range of issues, including education, equality, improving support for young people, tackling loneliness and the environment.

Kamau’s Legacy

The public reaction to Kamau’s death – in Yorkshire, across Huddersfield – showed that the values he lived by are widely shared.

And the way in which so many people continue to respond so positively more than three years after his death is testimony to the fact that his values are enduring and unshakeable.

Inspired by Kamau, The Kamau McCallum James Foundation CIO (KMJF CIO) was set up to channel the energy and determination generated by Kamau’s life and tragic death into practical efforts to advance the cause of enabling young people to fulfil their potential.

Please support us to build Kamau’s legacy: Info@kmjfoundationcio.co.uk

KMJ Foundation CIO Reg No: 1188368

Charitable Object:

To advance the lives of young people 11-25 and their families living in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Through the provision of Health, Wellbeing, Learning, Recreational and leisure time, services, and activities. We will do this by providing community spaces for young people to participating in the Arts and Creativity, Computing, Higher learning, Volunteering, Mentoring, Counselling, Peer Support, and social enterprises. We will support young people to live with an increased sense of belonging, confidence, safety, potential, and overall well-being within their communities.

Delivering Young People Mental Health and Wellbeing services

In our strategy, we will include

1. Raise awareness about youth Mental Health and Wellbeing

2. Develop and deliver “ it takes a Village Wellbeing” Programme

3. Build the resilience of young people

4. Develop our Campaign for Youth Mental Health Development Fund

5. Recruit Trustees, Staff, Trainee Counsellors, and Volunteers

6. Develop and implement a 3 -5 year fundraising strategy

7. Develop and manage our governance arrangements

8. Work towards financial sustainability

We will

1. improve young people’s health and wellbeing,

2. Increase youth resilience and tackle the causes of youth health inequalities

3. Connect young people with their communities.

Our vision

• To be transformative in terms of mental health services, so that young people grow up to be healthy, resilient, and contributing members of Kirklees and West Yorkshire

Mission

• To collaborate with young people living with mental wellbeing, enable many to become healthy, resilient, confident, and able to fulfil their potential.

Our purpose

• Helping young people, to help young people to become confident, thrive and aspire

Our Priorities

For the next 5 years, we have identified 3 priority areas –

1. Youth Health and Wellbeing,

2. Youth equality

3. Youth Personal Development

Our Priorities that are all relevant and important within the current environment, and also where we believe KMJ Foundation has the expertise and experience to have the biggest impact.

At the heart of our work will remain our long-standing commitment to supporting young people living with a mental health and wellbeing need and those who need support to recover, become healthy, thrive, and fulfil their potential.

IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING

• We will support the mental health and wellbeing of young people and help young people to be physically healthier and mentally more resilient.

TACKLE YOUTH HEALTH INEQUALITIES

• We will channel our resources to support young people who are facing disadvantage or discrimination to have equal access to health and wellbeing, educational, employment and personal development opportunities.

CONNECTED

• We will help young people to become better connected, by supporting them to take charge of their own future and work together to create positive change within their communities.

Our Key objectives include:

We will Collaborate with young people to:

1. Raise awareness of young people and the stigma of mental health and wellbeing.

2. Build the resilience of young people living with their mental health and wellbeing needs

3. Engage and grow our partners, donors, funders, and key stakeholders

4. Listen to and collaborate with young people and our partners

5. Build local connections

6. Support and develop young people peer support groups

7. Develop youth ambassadors and leaders

8. Develop staff, counsellors and volunteers who are tirelessly and passionately dedicate their time to improving the mental health and wellbeing and resilience of young people

9. Raise awareness of young people living with mental health and wellbeing needs, issues, and abilities.

Our Values

1. Demonstrate integrity

2. Commit to inclusion

3. Be young people led

4. Transform lives

Our actions:

How we will work with young People

• To support, nurture and develop young people.

Income generation & partnerships

• We will be financially flourishing; growing a mix of sustainable funding streams based on long-term partnerships.

• We will become a Trusted Charity for our donors, partners, and funders.

Advocacy, PR & comms

We will increase our profile to boost our ability to fundraise and to influence effectively, to bring about beneficial change for our members.

Our enablers

1. People: We will nurture and develop a diverse, high performing and satisfied staff, counselling, and volunteer team.

2. Income generation & partnerships: We will be financially flourishing; growing a mix of donors and sustainable funding streams based on long-term partnerships.

3. Commitment: We will become a trusted Charity.

4. Advocacy, PR & comms: We will increase our profile to boost our ability to communicate and to influence effectively