Damilola Taylor Trust

What Damilola Taylor Trust does

The Damilola Taylor Trust is a UK registered charity (Charity Number 1087597) founded in May 2001 by Richard Taylor OBE and his late wife Gloria in memory of their son Damilola Taylor, who was killed in 2000. The Trust delivers a portfolio of youth development programmes targeted at disadvantaged and vulnerable young people aged 14-30+, primarily in South London and increasingly across the UK through the Hope Collective coalition. Active programmes include the Career Pathway Programme for Schools (120 students per cycle, funded by the Mayor's Young Londoners Fund), the I Am Change Career Search & Skills Development Programme, the Extended Medical Degree Programme (25 funded places annually managed in partnership with GKT School of Medical Education at King's College London), Life Skills Training on knife crime and gang violence, and the Youth Film Project. The Damilola Youth advisory board (ages 16-30) embeds beneficiary voice at governance level, and the annual Day of Hope (7 December) was designated a national observance by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2020.

The Trust's business model is a non-profit charity structure. All services are free to beneficiaries; there is no pricing model. Revenue is generated through two streams: individual and corporate donations (via website, JustGiving, cheque, and fundraising events such as VIN Club's Black Tie Charity Balls), and institutional grants from government (Mayor's Young Londoners Fund, Youth Futures) and foundations (BBC Children in Need, the National Lottery Community Fund). Distribution is partner-mediated: programmes are delivered through schools (Harris Academies, Oasis Academy South Bank), youth clubs, community venues including the Damilola Taylor Centre in Peckham, and the registered office at 18 Barrington Villas, Shooters Hill. The Trust operates with 13 staff and a Board of Trustees; the CEO position is currently vacant following founder Richard Taylor OBE's death on 23 March 2024, with son Babatunde Taylor appointed Chair in May 2024. Technology footprint is minimal: a Squarespace website, JustGiving donation platform, and standard social media channels, with no proprietary platform or AI capability disclosed.

Name

Damilola Taylor Trust

Legal name

Damilola Taylor Trust

Website

https://damilolataylortrust.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Damilola Taylor Trust is a UK registered charity founded in 2001 in memory of Damilola Taylor, delivering youth development programmes including career pathways, mentoring, life skills training, and a medical degree programme to disadvantaged young people aged 14-30+ in South London. Funded through donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Charity Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• Career pathway programmes
• Youth violence prevention
• Youth mentoring programmes
• Community youth charity

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual and corporate donations received via website, JustGiving platform, and cheque. The Trust relies on public generosity to fund its youth programmes and operations.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from Mayor's Young Londoners Fund, BBC Children in Need, Youth Futures COVID-19 emergency support, The National Lottery Community Fund, and other institutional funders to deliver specific programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Damilola Taylor Trust is a UK-registered charity that delivers free youth development programmes to disadvantaged and vulnerable young people (primarily aged 14-30) in South London. Core offerings include career pathway programmes, life skills training and mentoring, an Extended Medical Degree Programme (in partnership with King's College London), creative film projects, and youth governance through the Damilola Youth advisory board. Services are funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, and grants from bodies such as the Mayor's Young Londoners Fund, BBC Children in Need, and The National Lottery Community Fund.

Product overview

The Damilola Taylor Trust is a charitable organization offering a portfolio of youth development programmes designed to support vulnerable young people and improve their life chances. The core programmes include career pathway initiatives (Career Pathway Programme for Schools, I Am Change Career Search & Skills Development Programme, The City Career Pathway Programme), educational programmes (Extended Medical Degree Programme, School Library Project), skills training (Life Skills Training and Mentoring Programme), and creative youth engagement (Youth Film Project). The Trust also operates Damilola Youth as its youth advisory board and hosts the annual Day of Hope event. Many past programmes including the Spirit of London Awards, SOLA Inspire Schools Roadshow, and Damilola Taylor Memorial Lecture have been consolidated under the Hope Legacy Campaign. The organization focuses on disadvantaged young people in South London and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career Pathway Programme for Schools A 15-week, 3-year career pathway programme supporting 120 students at risk or who have engaged with criminal activity, offering workshops, career mentor support and tools to re-engage with education and make positive choices. Delivered free to disadvantaged secondary school students in South London.
• I Am Change Career Search & Skills Development Programme A programme supporting young Londoners aged 17-24 from disadvantaged backgrounds with little or no work experience, providing training, workshops, peer coaching and Development Days to build confidence and improve employment skills. Delivered free of charge with partner organisations HUDL CIC and 2020 Change.
• Life Skills Training and Mentoring Programme An educational programme for young people about factors driving violence, knife crime and gangs, providing strategies on how to access support and build resilience against being lured into crime. Delivered in partnership with Crying Sons Ltd at venues including Lewisham Islamic Centre, St Mary's Church Peckham and Highgate School.
• Extended Medical Degree Programme An ongoing programme managed by GKT School of Medical Education at King's College London, offering 25 funded places to inner-city school students annually to study medicine over six years, with admission based on potential rather than A Level performance and supported by Hardship Funds and Travel grants.
• Youth Film Project A programme giving young people aged 14-24 the opportunity to write and produce their own short films, learning end-to-end filmmaking with industry experts including scriptwriting, camera work and video editing.
• The City Career Pathway Programme A programme enabling young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to undertake paid internships and work experience in the City of London, with mentorship from City professionals in financial services and investment banking. Delivered in collaboration with Lysis Financial Ltd.
• I Am Change Online Programme A 12-week online programme supporting young people aged 17-30 adversely affected by COVID-19, providing digital and employability skills training with Microsoft and LinkedIn, workshops and mentoring.
• Hope Legacy Campaign A public health-inspired campaign launched for the 20th anniversary of Damilola Taylor's death, celebrating positive contributions of young people and their aspirational stories of ambition and hope.
• School Library Project A project building a new library (Damilola Taylor Library Resource Centre) for a primary school in Nigeria where Damilola grew up, funded in partnership with Lyca Mobile UK and local Nigerian bodies.
• Damilola Youth (Youth Advisory Board) The youth advisory board of the Damilola Taylor Trust, consisting of young people aged 16-30 who develop and lead activities on behalf of the Trust and provide authentic youth voice at governance level.
• Day of Hope An annual national day of youth empowerment and hope designated on 7 December (Damilola Taylor's birthday) to celebrate and encourage the work of the Damilola Taylor Trust and Hope Collective.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 of 25 programme participants offered employment at Co-op
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VIN ClubcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVIN Club made the Damilola Taylor Trust its charity for 2023, hosting fundraising events including a 15K charity walk across London and annual Black Tie Charity Balls. Early bird tickets for the 2023 ball were £850 for a table of 10 or £90 per head.
• HUDL CICcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHUDL CIC partnered with the Trust to deliver the I Am Change Career Search & Skills Development Programme. HUDL provides associate facilitators and workshop delivery for the Career Pathway Programme for Schools. The partnership is funded by BBC Children in Need and Youth Futures COVID-19 emergency support.
• 2020 ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2020 Change partnered with the Trust to run the I Am Change Career Search & Skills Development Programme, supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with digital and employability skills training with Microsoft and LinkedIn.
• GKT School of Medical Education (King's College London)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Extended Medical Degree Programme is managed by GKT School of Medical Education, offering 25 funded places annually to inner city school students to study medicine. The six-year programme accepts students based on potential rather than A Level performance.
• The Co-opminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Co-op sponsored the Career Search and Skills Development programme (September-December 2019) in partnership with HUDL and St Patrick's College. Following the programme, participants could apply for apprenticeship programmes with The Co-op.
• Lysis Financial LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLysis Financial Ltd collaborated with the Trust on The City Career Pathway Programme, enabling young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to undertake paid internships and work experience in the City of London, mentored by City professionals in financial services and investment banking.
• Oasis Academy South BankminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner school for the Career Pathway Programme for Schools initiative.
• Hope CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hope Collective was formed from the work of the Damilola Taylor Trust and now works across the UK to ensure young people can share their views and experiences with government. Richard Taylor helped establish the collective which includes the Youth Management Group.
• Harris AcademiescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHarris Academies partnered with the Trust for the Career Pathway Programme for Schools, providing cohorts of 20 students each from two academies initially.
• Brass2GoldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrass2Gold collaborated with the Trust to produce the documentary film 'Southwark: Past and Present', examining contemporary life in the borough.
• Crying Sons LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrying Sons Ltd partnered with the Trust to deliver Life Skills Training workshops on gangs, knife crime, gun crime, and drug-related issues to young people at Lewisham Islamic Centre, St Mary's Church Peckham, Highgate School Hackney Marshes, and Downham Youth Club.
• Rio Ferdinand FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRio Ferdinand Foundation supports the Hope Collective and youth empowerment initiatives. Rio Ferdinand appeared in interviews with Richard Taylor OBE to raise awareness.
• UK YouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK Youth (led by Ndidi Okezie MBE) is part of the Hope Collective coalition working with the Trust on youth advocacy.
• Metropolitan Police ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Trust works with the Metropolitan Police on youth engagement. Richard Taylor OBE was invited to welcome guests at the launch of 'A new Met for London' at the Damilola Taylor Centre. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley collaborates with the Trust on community policing initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MAC-UK: UK charity developing culturally responsive mental health and social inclusion services for marginalised young people in London. Comparable in mission and in London-based delivery to disadvantaged youth.
• St Giles Trust: UK charity helping disadvantaged young people and adults into employment, particularly those with criminal justice involvement. Overlaps directly with the Trust's Career Pathway Programme supporting students at risk of or engaged with criminal activity.
• Rio Ferdinand Foundation: Foundation supporting underprivileged young people through sport, education, and training. Already a partner of the Trust via the Hope Collective; comparable in youth empowerment mission and celebrity-driven profile.
• UK Youth: UK-wide umbrella for youth organisations and member of the Hope Collective coalition. Comparable in advocate role for youth voice and in supporting youth work infrastructure across the UK.
• Key4Life: UK charity focused on reducing youth reoffending through mentoring, employability training, and personal development. Closely comparable to the Trust's Career Pathway Programme for Schools and Life Skills Training work.

Broad incumbents

• The Children's Society: National UK charity supporting disadvantaged children, young people, and families, including those at risk of exploitation or harm. Overlaps with the Trust's youth violence prevention and wellbeing focus.
• Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity supporting disadvantaged 11-30 year olds into education, training, and employment. Directly comparable mission in career pathway and youth empowerment, but operates at much greater scale with broader programmes.
• Catch22: National social business delivering youth services and offender rehabilitation. Comparable in supporting disadvantaged young people into education and employment, particularly those in or at risk of the criminal justice system.
• Barnardo's: One of the UK's largest children's charities, supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged young people across multiple services. Comparable mission in youth welfare and disadvantage, but operates at far larger scale.

Others

• Centre for Social Justice: Independent UK think tank producing policy recommendations on poverty and social exclusion, including youth violence. Comparable to the Trust's advocacy orientation and relationships with government, though not a direct service deliverer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DTTlondon
• Facebookfacebook.com/DamilolaTaylorTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/damilolataylortrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/damilolataylortrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Damilola Taylor Trust