Big Leaf Foundation

Who we are

ABOUT US

Our vision is of a community where displaced young people are valued, supported and given the opportunity to create better outcomes for themselves. 

Big Leaf Foundation is a small charity working with displaced young people aged 16-25 living in Surrey. 

Our aim is to provide a nurturing programme of activities, projects and events that focus on combating social isolation and improving wellbeing for the young people we support.

We want to engage the young people we work with to be excited about the opportunities available to them, and to value their unique talents and abilities so that they can rediscover their potential and move forward with renewed optimism. We want to support and empower these young people to know they are more than the status they have been given, and help them find their place within the local community. 

Our projects range from sports and creative arts projects to full-day English language schools, specialised casework support and residential workshops, alongside leadership programmes, summer schools and progression opportunities. All of our projects are built with the focus of helping young people feel more empowered within their own lives, their local communities and within Big Leaf itself.

Our culture and values

trust & transparency
Nothing is more important to us than trust, because so many of our young people have experienced a world in which they can trust no one. It’s essential that we build trusted relationships with our young people, and that they have confidence that we will always act in their best interests. We do this through maintaining high standards of openness, honesty and transparency.

equality
We want everyone to feel welcome at our projects. We approach everything we do with empathy and
compassion. We strive to create a sense of community to which we all belong, on equal footing and to create a safe, secure and non-judgemental space for young people to engage and build new friendships, explore new activities, and uncover their
talents and passions.

growth
Everything we do is focused on promoting the personal growth of our young people – growth that allows them to know they are more than the status they have been given and that each one of them is unique and valued. Growth is also at the heart of our approach to governance. We prioritise team learning, work to embody best practice and aim to make each project better than the last.