Action4Youth

What Action4Youth does

Action4Youth is a UK-registered charity (Charity No: 1033626, Company No: 2888960) founded in 1946 and headquartered in Aylesbury, delivering youth development services to approximately 25,000 children and young people annually across Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, and the wider East and South East of England. Its portfolio comprises seven named programmes: The Inspiration Programme, The Mentoring Programme, The Breakout Programme (a knife and gang intervention initiative), The Junction (a drop-in youth centre), The Caldecotte Xperience (an outdoor learning centre), delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and the recently launched BOOST! and Forest School programmes. These are human-delivered services — in-person mentoring, group work, outdoor education, and structured intervention — with no disclosed technology platform component.

Revenue is generated through a charitable funding mix that includes restricted and unrestricted grants from institutional funders (notably The National Lottery Community Fund and the Community Ownership Fund), corporate sponsorships from named employers including Heathrow and Pinewood Studios, individual donations, programme fees, and local authority contracts. The organisation operates 11-50 employees across multiple physical sites, including its recently opened Caldecotte Xperience building. In December 2025, Benedicta Morrow was appointed CEO, succeeding Jenifer Cameron, at a moment when the charity is actively scaling both its programme portfolio and its geographic footprint into seven additional counties.

Name

Action4Youth

Legal name

Action4Youth Ltd

Website

https://action4youth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Action4Youth is a UK youth charity founded in 1946, delivering mentoring, outdoor education, and intervention programmes to 25,000+ young people annually across Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, and the wider East and South East of England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAJ

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGADAM

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYTHAAAOAB

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development)

Keywords

• Youth development programmes
• Outdoor education services
• Youth mentoring programmes
• School partnership programmes
• Duke of Edinburgh delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Aylesbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Grants: The primary revenue source is charitable donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants from trusts and foundations including National Lottery Community Fund, MK Community Foundation, and corporate partners.
2. Programme Fees: Fees charged for paid programmes including Holiday Adventure Days at £37.50/day, Camp Caldecotte residentials at £399-£550, and sailing/adventure training courses.
3. Government-Funded Programmes: Delivery of government-funded programmes such as Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme providing free activities for eligible young people.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Action4Youth is a UK youth charity delivering targeted programmes and outdoor learning experiences for children and teenagers. Core offerings include aspiration-raising workshops (The Inspiration Programme), 1-to-1 youth mentoring, anti-knife and gang intervention (The Breakout Programme), free drop-in youth centre services (The Junction), and land and water-based outdoor adventure activities at The Caldecotte Xperience, including Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions and residential camps.

Product overview

Action4Youth operates as a multi-programme youth charity offering a portfolio of distinct programmes and services centred on youth development, outdoor education, and targeted intervention. The core offerings include aspiration-raising programmes (The Inspiration Programme), 1-to-1 mentoring, anti-knife crime intervention (The Breakout Programme), and the drop-in youth centre (The Junction). The Caldecotte Xperience provides outdoor learning and adventure activities including Duke of Edinburgh's Award expeditions, sailing courses, and residential camps. New additions include BOOST! for SEND students and Forest School launching September 2025. The organisation accepts Tax-Free Childcare and Childcare Vouchers as payment options. These programmes are delivered across Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and the wider South East of England.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Caldecotte Xperience: An outdoor learning and adventure centre open all year-round offering day or residential programmes with land and water based activities, including Duke of Edinburgh's Award at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels.
• The Junction
• The Inspiration Programme
• The Breakout Programme
• BOOST!
• Camp Caldecotte

Products and services

• The Inspiration Programme A one-year aspiration-raising programme designed to broaden horizons and help young people understand their place in society, featuring workshops on citizenship and employment skills, targeted at secondary school-aged young people.
• The Mentoring Programme A free 12-week 1-to-1 programme for young people aged 11-17 providing a safe space for talking, building coping skills and resilience, and connecting to positive pathways.
• The Breakout Programme A 12-week anti-knife and gang intervention programme for at-risk young people that combines mentoring, classroom sessions, and outdoor education to create positive lasting change.
• The Junction A free drop-in youth centre in High Wycombe providing safe space, youth workers, crisis support, mentoring, and activities including cooking, fitness, and workshops for 11-18 year olds.
• The Caldecotte Xperience An outdoor learning and adventure centre in Milton Keynes offering land and water-based activities including the largest range of such activities in the region, with day and residential programmes available year-round.
• Duke of Edinburgh's Award Delivers Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of the DofE Award through expeditions, volunteering, physical activities, and skills development for young people, including dedicated DofE expeditions for schools.
• BOOST! A five-day personal development programme for secondary-aged young people from SEND schools, Pupil Referral Units and alternative education provisions, building confidence, resilience and life skills for the world of work.
• Camp Caldecotte Five day, four night residential holiday experience for young people aged 10-17, including dedicated cohorts for DofE Gold Award participants, featuring festival-style camping and adventure activities at £399-£550 per person.
• Holiday Adventure Days Adventure-packed holiday day activities at The Caldecotte Xperience for young people at £37.50 per day, with childcare vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare accepted.
• Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) Government-funded programme providing enriching activities alongside hot meals during school holidays for eligible young people, delivered free of charge to participants.
• Youth Groups Support Service Support and advocacy service for youth clubs and organisations throughout Buckinghamshire, including membership, training, and resources.
• The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire Programme Programme supported by the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire focusing on special needs and disabilities activities and opportunities for young people.
• Adventurous Training Courses RYA-accredited training courses building confidence and independence on water, including Sailing Courses for 10-16 year olds and Powerboat Level 2 Handling Course for over 13s.
• Forest School Programme A nature-based Forest School programme at The Caldecotte Xperience launching September 2025, using outdoor learning to foster independence, teamwork, problem-solving and resilience in young people.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25,000 young people supported annually across all programmes
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, supportive and core.

• Franklins Solicitors LLPmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2025Charity partner for Franklins £50 Challenge; provides £50 seed funding for teams to grow through creative fundraising from February to May 2026.
• RingwaymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Project sponsor helping secure Vinci Foundation grant for new canoes; supported outdoor education equipment.
• Wycombe Wanderers FoundationsupportiveStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Partnership for inaugural Youth Club sessions hosted before home games, providing teamwork and leadership activities.
• NHBCmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 January 2025Main sponsor of The Big Challenge event; corporate partner supporting youth programmes; employees volunteer at Caldecotte Xperience.
• Centre:MKmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 January 2025Award sponsor for The Big Challenge Exceptional Leadership Award; supports youth events and programmes in Milton Keynes.
• HWBIDCo (High Wycombe BID)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Partnership to reduce knife crime in High Wycombe; installed Contactless Giving Boxes with proceeds supporting Breakout Programme; collaboration with Thames Valley Police.
• Thames Valley PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Breakout Programme and community safety initiatives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brathay Trust: Charity using outdoor adventure and residential experiences to improve outcomes for vulnerable young people. Directly comparable mission and delivery model (outdoor adventure plus intervention for at-risk youth).
• The Outward Bound Trust: Outdoor adventure education charity delivering personal development through outdoor learning for young people, including DofE expeditions. Directly comparable as an outdoor/adventure youth charity with residential and expedition programmes.
• The Prince's Trust: UK youth development charity supporting 11-30 year olds through education, training and enterprise programmes. Comparable as a major national youth charity targeting similar age cohorts with personal development and employability outcomes.
• UK Youth: National umbrella for youth organisations and a direct delivery charity supporting young people's development. Highly comparable as a UK-wide youth development charity operating across multiple programme types.

Emerging players

• PGL Travel: Commercial outdoor education and adventure centre operator running residential trips for schools. Comparable as an outdoor learning provider competing for school adventure-day and residential bookings, though commercial rather than charitable.
• StreetLeague: UK charity using sport and physical activity to engage disadvantaged young people into education and employment. Comparable as a youth-development charity using sport/recreation as the engagement mechanism for at-risk cohorts.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA England & Wales: Large established youth and community organisation delivering a broad portfolio including youth work, housing, health and outdoor activities. Overlaps with Action4Youth's youth development and SEND-facing work but at far greater scale and scope.
• The Scout Association: National youth organisation delivering skills, outdoor and adventure programmes to young people. Comparable as a major UK youth organisation offering outdoor learning and personal development, though much larger and membership-based.
• The Duke of Edinburgh's Award: National Award body whose Bronze/Silver/Gold programmes Action4Youth delivers. Comparable as a brand owner and standards-setter for the DofE programme that Action4Youth operates locally.

Peers

• National Citizen Service (NCS): Government-backed youth personal development and social action programme for 16-17 year olds. Action4Youth runs NCS-style summer camps, making this a closely related public-sector youth programme competing for similar participants.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/action4youth
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCp-NUuw7YZiSHYgzXRfsj4Q
• Instagraminstagram.com/action4youth
• Facebookfacebook.com/action4youth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/action4youth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Action4Youth