Survivors Can Shine

What Survivors Can Shine does

Survivors Can Shine is a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (C.I.O., Registered Charity Number 1215655) founded in 2019 by Rosa de Guero following her personal experience of childhood abuse. The charity delivers trauma-informed safeguarding education and youth empowerment programmes to children and young people — with a specific focus on those from BAME and marginalised communities — primarily across London and England. Its core product is the 'I Shine, Speak Out' programme, a 12-week in-school and community-based curriculum aligned to UK statutory frameworks (KCSIE 2021, Relationships Education, RSE, Health Education, PSHE and OFSTED requirements under section 175 of the Education Act 2002). This feeds into the 'Ambassadors for Change' youth-leadership initiative, through which participants produce creative content — spoken word, poetry, rap, and music — and participate in an annual community event (2024 at Hampstead Heath, 2026 at Primrose Hill).

The organisation's product portfolio also includes the 'Raise Your Voice — Ambassadors for Change' feature documentary (produced with VaynerMedia London and The Mill), the 'I Shine, We Shine' music track featuring the Ambassadors for Change Youth Choir, and the 'Sunny the Therapy Dog' emotional-support programme. Distribution is community-led and direct: in-person workshops delivered in schools and community venues, plus earned media through BBC Children in Need (We Move Fund), BBC Radio 1Xtra, and civic endorsements from the Mayors of Camden, Islington, and London.

Revenue is entirely donation-based — one-time and monthly PayPal contributions, small-scale community fundraisers, and emerging institutional grant access unlocked by the November 2025 C.I.O. conversion. No fee-based services are charged to beneficiaries, no revenue is publicly disclosed, and headcount remains at 1–10 staff supplemented by volunteers. Governance is provided by a board of trustees including senior figures from financial services, AI/data governance, IP law, healthcare, and the third sector.

Name

Survivors Can Shine

Legal name

Survivors Can Shine C.I.O.

Website

https://survivorscanshine.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Survivors Can Shine is a UK-registered charity that delivers trauma-informed safeguarding education and youth empowerment programmes — chiefly the 12-week 'I Shine, Speak Out' curriculum and 'Ambassadors for Change' initiative — to children, particularly those from BAME and marginalised communities across London and England, funded by donations and small-scale fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Safeguarding Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Trauma-Informed Care & Crisis Response (School-Based) (EDAKAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ), Crisis Response & Threat Assessment (Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention) (EDAJAIAH)

Keywords

• Child safeguarding education
• Youth empowerment programmes
• Trauma-informed workshops
• Ambassador mentorship programmes
• Child abuse prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations received through PayPal and monthly giving options. Fundraising events including half marathons and community events. Registered C.I.O. status from November 2025 enabling charitable donations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Survivors Can Shine delivers a 12-week trauma-informed safeguarding programme called 'I Shine, Speak Out' for children and young people, using creative arts (spoken word, poetry, rap, lyric writing) and age-appropriate tools including mascot 'Shiny' to build awareness of abuse and equip children with strategies to report concerns. The programme feeds into the 'Ambassadors for Change' youth leadership initiative, supported by complementary services such as the Sunny therapy dog and creative outputs (documentary and music track). All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries in London and across England.

Product overview

Survivors Can Shine is a registered charity (C.I.O, Registered Charity Number 1215655) offering a portfolio of interconnected programmes focused on child safeguarding and youth empowerment. The core offering centres on the 'I Shine, Speak Out' 12-week trauma-informed safeguarding programme, which feeds into the 'Ambassadors for Change' youth leadership initiative. The organisation amplifies youth voices through creative and performing arts, producing documentary content (Raise Your Voice) and music recordings (I Shine, We Shine Track). The programme is complemented by Sunny the Therapy Dog, a mascot providing emotional support. All offerings work together to equip children with tools to speak out, be heard, and stay safe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• I Shine, Speak Out Programme A 12-week trauma-informed safeguarding programme for children and young people that raises awareness of abuse in an age-appropriate way and equips participants with knowledge, skills and strategies to report concerns, build resilience and become Ambassadors for Change. Delivered primarily in schools and aligned with KCSIE 2021, Relationships Education, RSE, Health Education, PSHE and OFSTED requirements.
• Ambassadors for Change Programme A youth-led leadership initiative that empowers children and young people to become positive role models who deliver peer guidance, drive community change and inspire others to use their voice. The programme engages schools, community groups and youth organisations and underpins the charity's community events.
• Sunny The Therapy Dog Programme A therapy dog programme featuring Sunny, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, providing comfort and emotional support for children, young people, families and volunteers who have experienced trauma and adversity as part of the charity's safeguarding and wellbeing offer.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 in 4 children suffer abuse; ACEs increase risk of violence, chronic health problems, mental ill health, substance abuse, and limit educational qualifications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BBC Children in Need - We Move FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2024Partnership to expand reach with specific focus on BAME and marginalised children and young people. Supported the 2024 Ambassadors for Change Community Event.
• Radio 1XtracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2024Partnership with BBC Radio 1Xtra to expand reach and engage youth audience. Supporting the I Shine, Speak Out Ambassadors for Change Project.
• The Mayor of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2024Official support for Ambassadors for Change Community Event 2024, contributing to legitimacy and reach of initiative.
• VaynerMedia LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Raise Your Voice - Ambassadors for Change documentary production.
• The MillminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on documentary production for Raise Your Voice - Ambassadors for Change feature.
• Mayor of CamdencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorsement and participation in Ambassadors for Change events, providing civic support and visibility.
• Mayor of IslingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorsement and participation in Ambassadors for Change events, providing civic support and visibility.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stop It Now! UK & Ireland: Helpline and prevention charity tackling child sexual abuse through early intervention and education. Direct peer in trauma-informed prevention and education delivery, with similar small-team delivery model.
• Kidscape: UK charity providing anti-bullying and child safety training in schools and communities. Direct peer in mission and channel (school-based prevention education) with a comparably small operational footprint.
• Anti-Bullying Alliance: UK coalition supporting school-based anti-bullying and safeguarding education. Overlaps on school curriculum support (PSHE, RSE) and policy alignment with KCSIE, though focused on bullying rather than abuse.

Regional players

• Young Camden Foundation: Local Camden-based youth charity, sharing geography and some trustee connections (e.g., Keith Morgan, former CEO). Comparable on London youth-empowerment focus but broader than child abuse prevention.

Others

• BBC Children in Need: Major UK funder of children\u2019s charities, including Survivors Can Shine via the We Move Fund. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor; relevant as a comparable for scale and grant-funded UK children\u2019s charities.

Broad incumbents

• The Children's Society: National UK charity focused on disadvantaged children, including exploitation, abuse, and trauma. Overlaps with Survivors Can Shine's victim-of-abuse focus but operates established regional programmes and statutory partnerships.
• Childline (NSPCC): Helpline and online counselling service for children, run by NSPCC. Comparable on outcome (children disclosing abuse) but offers a 24/7 service infrastructure that indirect-prevention charities like Survivors Can Shine do not.
• Barnardo's: Major UK children\u2019s charity delivering safeguarding, mental health, and early-intervention services across hundreds of service locations. Compares as a broad incumbent with overlapping safeguarding and youth empowerment mandates.
• National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS): UK advocacy charity for children\u2019s rights, including children in care and those facing abuse. Comparable on safeguarding advocacy but operates statutory advocacy contracts rather than school-based prevention.
• NSPCC: UK's largest child protection charity, running Childline and a full safeguarding curriculum for schools. Overlaps with Survivors Can Shine on child abuse prevention but operates at vastly greater national scale with statutory influence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/survivors_shine
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdNALB759fqCVCOJ0JQnXUA
• Facebookfacebook.com/SurvivorsCanShine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/survivors-can-shine
• Instagraminstagram.com/survivors_can_shine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 Survivors Can Shine