About OMG Foundation

OMG Foundation is the charitable heart of the OMG Education Group, working alongside OMG Education Independent School and OMG Training & Development CIC to make sure no young person is left behind. It was created to support those who fall through society’s safety net – young people with SEND, mental health challenges, experience of exclusion, poverty or the criminal justice system – by giving them the education, support and opportunities they need to move towards meaningful employment and a positive future. The Foundation reflects the wider OMG ethos that every young life matters and that services must adapt to each young person, not the other way round.

Who we are

The OMG Foundation is the charitable arm of the wider OMG Education Group. Its focus is to support young people’s education and steps towards employment alongside OMG School and OMG Training & Development CIC. We are a lived‑experience‑led charity: our founder and team understand first‑hand the realities of growing up in deprived areas, facing exclusion, trauma and a lack of positive role models, and this insight shapes everything we do. Our work is rooted in London’s communities but increasingly reaches beyond, with a particular focus on young people who are marginalised, at risk of exploitation, or excluded from mainstream opportunities.

What we believe

OMG believes that every young life matters, regardless of background, postcode or past mistakes. As we shape our work, we focus on young people who fall through society’s safety net – those who don’t fit traditional systems, who might be written off as “hard to reach”, and who often feel unseen or unheard. We start from the principle that each young person is different, with their own story, strengths and challenges, and our work adapts to suit the individual rather than expecting the young person to adapt to us. Our aim is simple: to give young people a real chance in life by ensuring they can complete the education and training necessary to achieve their desired next step.

What we do

The OMG Foundation designs, funds and delivers programmes that sit alongside and enhance the work of OMG School and OMG Training & Development CIC. This includes:

Supporting young people to access and sustain education and training that works for them, particularly those with SEND or SEMH needs.
Providing mentoring, coaching and pastoral support that addresses trauma, builds resilience and improves mental health and wellbeing.
Creating pathways into the creative industries and other sectors through music, media, digital skills and other interest‑led programmes.
Offering practical help around basics such as safe, trauma‑informed learning spaces, equipment, enrichment trips, food and essentials so that no young person is blocked from progress by poverty.
Working with families, schools, local authorities and community partners to provide wrap‑around support and coordinated interventions.

In everything we do, we aim to combine the “basics” young people need to feel safe and stable with the “aspirational” experiences that help them see new possibilities for their lives.

Our charitable objects

OMG Foundation’s work focuses on the following charitable purposes:

The advancement of education and training for young people.
The prevention or relief of poverty and disadvantage.
The promotion of social inclusion, wellbeing and mental health.
The reduction of youth violence, crime and reoffending.
The development of personal and social skills in young people.
Supporting access to education, training and employment.

These objects guide our programmes and partnerships, ensuring that every project we deliver is tied directly to tangible improvements in young people’s lives and prospects.

Our impact

Through the wider OMG ecosystem, the Foundation plays a vital role in reducing inequality, preventing harm and empowering youth. Our work helps young people stay connected to education, gain qualifications, avoid or move away from gangs and crime, and build the confidence, skills and networks they need for the world of work. We focus particularly on young people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and those living in areas with high levels of poverty, exclusion and youth violence.

By investing in targeted support, creative pathways and trauma‑informed environments, we help young people develop resilience, improve their mental health, strengthen relationships and take positive steps into further study, apprenticeships, employment or entrepreneurship. Behind every statistic is a real story of a young person who has been given a second chance – and has chosen to use it.

How we work with partners

OMG Foundation’s impact is powered by strategic partnerships and grassroots innovation. We work with:

Funders, trusts and foundations who share our commitment to tackling inequality for young people.
Corporates and professional firms who want to align their CSR and ESG priorities with real, measurable change for vulnerable youth.
Local authorities, schools and community organisations who refer young people and collaborate on joined‑up support.
Individual donors and champions who use their platforms, networks and lived experience to amplify our mission.

Together, we co‑create programmes, events and initiatives – from trauma‑informed education centres to mentoring schemes, creative projects and flagship fundraising events such as the Every Mind Matters Gala – that bring in vital resources while also telling powerful stories of change.

Our commitment for the future

We are committed to expanding our reach, strengthening our voice and ensuring that no young person is left behind. This means developing new centres and programmes where the need is greatest, deepening our support in existing communities, and continuing to listen to young people so that their experiences shape our future direction.

As the charitable arm of OMG Education Group, the Foundation will keep pushing for a system where every young person, whatever their starting point, can say: “I was seen, I was supported, and I had a real chance to build the life I wanted.”

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Our Goals

Ensure no young person is left behind

especially those with SEND, SEMH needs, mental health challenges or who are excluded or at risk in education and society.

Advance education and training

so young people can complete the learning and qualifications they need for their next steps into further study, training or employment.

Reduce inequality, poverty and disadvantage

by removing practical barriers (food, equipment, safe spaces, enrichment) that stop young people from accessing opportunities.

Promote social inclusion, wellbeing and mental health

through trauma‑informed environments, mentoring, pastoral support and creative pathways such as music, media and digital skills.

Reduce youth violence, crime and reoffending

by providing positive alternatives, consistent relationships and structured pathways away from gangs, exploitation and the criminal justice system.

Develop personal and social skills

confidence, resilience, communication, teamwork and self‑belief – so young people can thrive in life, not just in education.

Build strategic partnerships

with funders, corporates, local authorities and community organisations to scale impact, open new provisions (such as the Gravesend/Kent centre) and sustain long‑term change.