What Hackney Quest does

Hackney Quest is a UK registered charity (Charity No. 299734, Company No. 02266475) founded in 1988 and headquartered at 1 Poole Road, London E9 7AE, with a secondary operating site at Frampton Park Baptist Church. It delivers a portfolio of community support programmes in the London Borough of Hackney — one of the 10% most deprived areas of England — serving young people aged 8 through 25+, their families, and the wider community. Core programmes include the Positive Youth Engagement Programme (supporting 200+ young people aged 8-19 via term-time and holiday activities), Family & Education Support (mentoring, mediation, school liaison), Hackney Wick Youth Voice (research and advocacy), NewFuturesHQ (employability for 16-25 year olds), Talking Quest (a black-led 1:1 counselling programme for 16-25 year olds delivered in partnership with Therapy Rebels), and Community Hardship Support (free hot meals, food bank, benefit checking, income maximisation). The organization reports engaging 1,528 young people, 826 volunteers, and delivering 683 programmes/activities across 12 weekly sessions annually.

The business model is a donations-and-grants-funded non-profit. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Income is derived from a diversified mix of institutional grants (Jack Petchey Foundation, London Legacy Development Corporation, Hackney Council, National Lottery Big Local, Violence Reduction Unit, London Youth), corporate and individual donations via JustGiving, and fundraising events such as the Hackney Half Marathon (£35 registration fee, £250 fundraising pledge), which raised £21,442 in 2023. There are 26 employees supported by ~826 volunteers, with delivery via two physical sites, partner referrals (CAMHS, social care, schools, parents), and direct community access. There is no proprietary technology platform, no AI/ML capability, no app, and no commercial pricing — the underlying "product" is human-led relational service delivery.

Hackney Quest is governed by a board of trustees chaired by co-chairs James Beresford (co-founder, Partner at Bramble) and Leverne Sinclair, with Treasurer Paul Swannell (Finance Manager, Standard Chartered) and trustees drawn from Standard Chartered Bank, Macquarie Group, and Barclays. CEO Colette Allen leads a multidisciplinary staff team covering Youth Work, Family Support, Music Production, Hardship Support, Counselling, Employment & Wellbeing, and Finance & Operations. Strategic positioning is differentiated by deep, multi-decade community roots in Hackney (with many staff born and raised locally), an integrated service model addressing young people and families simultaneously, and a long-term engagement horizon spanning from age 8 to adulthood with no fixed thresholds.

Name

Hackney Quest

Legal name

Hackney Quest

Website

https://hackneyquest.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hackney Quest is a Hackney-based UK registered charity founded in 1988 that delivers free youth development, family support, employability, mental health counselling, and community hardship programmes for young people aged 8-25+, families, and local residents, funded by grants, donations, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Youth Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• Community support programmes
• Family support services
• Employability training
• Mental health counselling

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Hackney Quest is a registered charity that relies on grants and donations to fund its operations. Most of its income comes from grants and donations. The organization can only continue to provide stability and consistency to families and young people if it secures core and project funding to underpin and expand projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hackney Quest is a registered charity that delivers free youth work, family support, employability training, mental health counselling, and community hardship services to young people aged 8-19 and families in Hackney, London. Its programmes include weekly youth club sessions, mentoring, counselling through Talking Quest, employment support via New Futures HQ, food bank services, and community outreach projects such as the Hackney Wick Youth Voice project. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, funded by grants and donations.

Product overview

Hackney Quest offers a portfolio of interconnected community support programmes focused on youth development, family support, and community welfare. The core offering consists of the Positive Youth Engagement Programme supporting over 200 young people aged 8-19, complemented by Family & Education Support services, the Employability and Wellbeing programmes (including New Futures HQ and Talking Quest counselling), the Hackney Wick Youth Voice Project, and Community Hardship Support including food services. All programmes are supported by an extensive Volunteer Programme. The organisation runs weekly youth club sessions, holiday activities, mentoring, and community meals. The portfolio operates as a unified service model where youth work, family support, employability skills, mental health counselling, and community services work together to provide holistic support to the Hackney community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Positive Youth Engagement Programme Supports over 200 young people aged 8-19 from Hackney through term-time and holiday activities, workshops, residentials, and youth club sessions including sports, music production, drama, arts and creative projects.
• Volunteer and Mentoring Programme Recruits and manages volunteers including youth work volunteers, trainee counselling volunteers, community volunteers, mentors, peer volunteers aged 14+, and corporate volunteers to support all Hackney Quest projects.
• Family & Education Support Provides family support through mentoring, 1:1 support, family mediation, attending meetings, liaising with external agencies, and education support helping young people and parents navigate school systems.
• Hackney Wick Youth Voice Project Empowers young people in Hackney Wick to have their voices heard and bring about positive change for the local community through research, advocacy, and community-led projects.
• Community, Hardship Support and Income Maximisation Offers free weekly hot meals, foodbank services, benefit checking, help with applications, budgeting support, and income maximisation assistance for community members in financial hardship.
• New Futures HQ Employability Programme Provides young people aged 14-25+ with space, support, and connections to gain skills and opportunities for employability through workshops, mentoring, and employer introductions.
• Talking Quest A black-led counselling programme meeting young people aged 16-25+ where they are, providing 1:1 therapeutic support to de-stigmatise mental health and improve access to mental health services.
• Youth Club Activities Weekly term-time youth club activities providing a safe space for young people aged 8+ with sessions including sports, arts, debates, and cooking.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1528 young people supported
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Space BlackcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Urban design collective collaborating on the Red Path Project - a community-led urban transformation initiative in Hackney Wick. Space Black provides expert consultants and facilitates design workshops with young people.
• Homerton College, CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Homerton for Homerton project reconnects the College with its hometown in Hackney. Activities include supporting charity projects, running scientific escape room adventures for students, and creating opportunities for Hackney's young people.
• Therapy RebelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for Talking Quest counselling programme. Therapy Rebels provides the therapeutic side of the programme which is a black-led counselling service meeting young people aged 16-25+ where they are and supporting them to access mental health support.
• UCL Institute for Global ProsperityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Collaboration on the Fuse Project (2020-21), providing paid roles for local young people to undertake research and service design work for youth employment support.
• London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner on Fuse Project and funder of Red Path Project phases. LLDC provides funding and support for youth initiatives in the Olympic Park area.
• Build UpcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Youth construction charity partnership for Build Up Hackney project. Young people designed and built a new public space on the corner of Wick Road and Morning Lane. Project won a Mayor of London award. Also partners on Red Path Project.
• Wick Award (National Lottery Big Local)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Hackney Wick Youth Voice project commissioned by Wick Award through the National Lottery 'Big Local' initiative. This project empowers young people in Hackney Wick to have their voices heard and bring about positive change for the local community.
• The Felix ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity fighting food waste by distributing surplus food to good causes. Provides ingredients for Hackney Quest's free weekly hot lunch and food bank.
• Tall Ships Youth TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided 5-day sailing trip for a group of young people from Hackney Quest in 2021.
• Hackney REPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHackney Quest is part of Hackney REP - a community partnership of voluntary sector organisations and professionals committed to preventing school exclusions and ensuring equitable education for young people from all backgrounds in Hackney.
• HeadStart ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon Youth programme for youth social action. Hackney Quest participated in 3 cohorts through training, development, social action and access to work experience/employment.
• The PlugminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth innovation agency run by two local young adults from Hackney. Co-led Fuse Project contributing to development of Good Growth Hub on the Olympic Park.
• Rise Up East ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of local youth organisations funded by Violence Reduction Unit to build safety with young people in the local community. Hackney Quest is a member working on youth safety initiatives.
• Frenford ClubsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth activity and volunteer management partner. Daniel Oliver, youth activity and volunteer manager from Frenford Clubs, visited Hackney Quest as part of youth projects review.
• Local Schools (Berger Primary, Cardinal Pole Secondary)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local schools for Build Up Hackney project and general education support activities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Centrepoint: UK charity supporting young people facing homelessness with a holistic model combining housing, learning, health, and employment — closely comparable mission and multi-service delivery approach.
• St Giles Trust: Charity supporting disadvantaged young people and adults through education, training and employment programmes — comparable as a London-based charity combining youth support, family guidance and employability services.
• New Horizon Youth Centre: London-based charity providing youth support services including housing, health, and education — directly comparable as a London youth charity serving disadvantaged young people with similar holistic service models.
• Catch22: National social business delivering youth services, education, employability and family support — comparable as a multi-programme youth and family services charity with community-based delivery.
• The Felix Project: London charity redistributing surplus food to community organisations — a direct operational partner of Hackney Quest and a comparable London-based community food and hardship support charity.

Broad incumbents

• The Prince's Trust: Large UK-wide youth charity focused on employability and skills training — overlapping with Hackney Quest's New Futures HQ programme and employability support for young people aged 14-25.
• Barnardo's: One of the UK's largest children's charities providing services across youth support, mental health, and family services — a broad incumbent operating similar programmes at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Mind (Hackney & City): Local mental health charity providing counselling and wellbeing services in Hackney — overlapping with Hackney Quest's Talking Quest programme targeting young people aged 16-25.
• London Youth: Membership body for youth organisations in London that grants the Quality Mark that Hackney Quest holds; comparable regional ecosystem of community-based youth services across London boroughs.

Others

• ELBA (East London Business Alliance): East London charity connecting businesses with community organisations — thematically related as an enabler of corporate volunteering and fundraising partnerships similar to those Hackney Quest cultivates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HackneyQ
• Instagraminstagram.com/hackney_quest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hackney-quest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Hackney Quest