Clowns Without Borders

Who we are

Clowns Without Borders UK (CWB UK) uses laughter and play to support the psychological, emotional, and cognitive health of children affected by war and natural disaster. 

Since 2014, we have shared laughter and joy with over 100,000 thousand children in 14 countries around the world. Our work doesn't stop there. Wherever we go, we train others to use play to support children’s resilience and healthy emotional development. So far, over 300 NGO staff workers and volunteers have taken part in our play-led capacity building programmes. Some of the world’s largest children’s charities describe our work as “psycho-social first-aid” and recognise our “innovative approach which blends psychological and humanitarian support and can reach children and help them heal faster.” 

Our culture and values

Our values.

We all have a vital role to play in helping children recover after experiencing uncertainty, displacement and loss. We do it with:

Joy

Joy is our highest value. We take play seriously because we believe that laughter changes lives and we work hard to see happiness on the face of every child.

Creativity

We are highly skilled in the art 
of the imagination to solve problems, build connections 
and deliver serious fun.

Courage

We face challenging circumstances for the sake of crisis-affected children and boldly take to the stage to shine the spotlight on a child’s right to play.

Collaboration

The children we work with are not spectators. We cannot do what we do without their permission and participation – from our child-led, UK-based advisory board to those children we see affected by crisis. And, we do all this with global, national and local partners.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

At Clowns Without Borders UK we use play, laughter and creative care to give children affected by conflict and disaster moments of respite, voice and joy. We’re trauma-informed, anti-racist and committed to fairness, centring children’s experiences in our work and our culture. 

We are a trauma-informed, values-led organisation committed to equity, anti-racism and inclusive practice. We celebrate difference, remove barriers and support people to thrive, offering adjustments and training so everyone can contribute their best. People with lived experience, from Global Majority communities, or from any under-represented background are warmly encouraged to apply.