Mwanzo Project

Mwanzo Project is a Black Led Grassroots CIC founded in 2023 in response to the gap in provision for children and young people who are at risk/involved in youth offending, serious youth violence and criminal exploitation. We recognise the racial disproportionality identified within Avon and Somerset Criminal Legal System, the individual, institutional and structural racism experienced by Black and racially minoritised young people and aim to use our expertise and skills to offer bespoke support to those most marginalised by wider society. The Call In and The Reach Out Programme focuses primarily on Black and racially minoritised young people, using findings from research highlighting the barriers to diversions for this group to inform our delivery; carefully tailoring interventions that meet the cultural needs of our cohorts and reducing the criminalisation of young people. We are committed to providing an alternative to offending and violence by offering access to new opportunities, learning and growth as well as education, employment and training information, advice and support. We draw on community knowledge and expertise, commissioning grass-roots, culturally-specific services to meet the needs of our young people, who often experience barriers to engaging with mainstream services and are seldom heard. Mwanzo Project seeks to create opportunities for young people to engage in support that is accessible to them, provide them with opportunities to build relationships with mentors and role-models who they can relate to and unlock their potential.