Kevin Jenkins OBE

Kevin Jenkins has dedicated 31 years to placing children and young people at the heart of Newham’s regeneration. Directly delivering hundreds of projects through Community Links, this exceptional East Ender has also supported numerous additional local children and youth organisations and led youth strategies for Newham.

Kevin has dedicated his adult life to placing children and young people at the heart of regeneration in the London Borough of Newham, an ethnically diverse, dynamic borough historically associated with deprivation and the many social issues affecting children and young people in particular. Starting with co-founding local charity Community Links on a voluntary basis in 1977, whilst still at school, he has developed a network of innovative and highly effective children and youth projects across the Newham area.

Community Links Children and Youth programme has grown from four projects working with 150 children and young people to a £5million budget supporting 3,000 individuals aged 2-24 years every week. In addition to directly delivering a huge children and youth programme, Kevin has donated valuable experience and expertise to influence local council strategy on early years, play and youth; set up and supported emerging youth agencies; fundraised for local schools; and shared best practice with youth-based community organisations across the country. In 1985, he was awarded an OBE for his work. Kevin is now ‘senior advisor’ at Community Links, directly responsible for developmental and special projects, mentoring the Heads of Children and Youth Work and developing a fundraising strategy for the organisation.

Kevin was a pioneer in crafting holistic children and youth programmes open to all ages. This ensures that children and young people are supported throughout their lives until adulthood should they need it. From the beginning, Kevin displayed a passion for cohesion and inclusion, with his work recognising ethnic diversity, special needs and all abilities and disabilities.

Kevin’s approach to children and youth work has undeniably been a major success, despite consisting of just four simple, yet replicable, steps: 1. Reach out – to young people on the streets, in the parks, in their neighbourhoods. 2. Offer opportunities – not just at the youth centre and not just to play and enjoy, but to learn and achieve. This builds confidence and self esteem. 3. Support them – help children and young people overcome challenges in their lives that have acted as barriers to achievement. When they do this for themselves it is more powerful. 4. Give back – Young people are given the chance to help others like them through volunteering and ultimately working for Community Links

Kevin’s contributions are innumerable, but his impact on Newham has been felt by quite literally thousands of community members.

“It was hard to avoid trouble around on the streets. But I felt it was in me to do better. One day, two people from Community Links asked who wanted to make music. I joined in at the Youth House and got a certificate and stayed involved with their activities. I wanted to work – but my CV was blank! Then the youth house offered me volunteering. I became a Young Leader, took diplomas in youth work then became a deputy at the youth house. When temporary cover of running the Asta Centre came up they said ‘Go for it Jason’. I got it and now it’s permanent. I am so grateful to Community Links for giving me the chance when I was young. I’ve got loads of ideas for Asta to reach kids like I was. Already I feel like we are making a difference to young people’s lives.”

Jason Ford, 26, Centre Manager, Community Links Asta Centre

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