Every Tuesday, we're out in Central Park.
A trusted, familiar presence for young people in Harold Hill — meeting them where they already are, then walking alongside the ones who need more than a hello.
A presence that's already here — deepened for those who need it most.
Youth Unity has built a trusted detached youth-work presence in and around Central Park, Harold Hill. Experienced workers head out each week to build relationships, keep young people safe on the spot, and be a steady, familiar face in the community.
The hardest part is already done: our workers and mentors are known and embedded here, so support is immediate and credible rather than starting cold. On top of the weekly outreach, we layer intensive one-to-one mentoring for the young people facing the most — turning a brief conversation in the park into sustained, personal support.
We carry that presence through the autumn and winter, when risk and need typically rise, so relationships that take months to build aren't lost.
Detached youth work means we don't wait for young people to come to a building. We go to the places they already gather, on their terms — offering conversation, a listening ear, safeguarding, and a route to more support when they want it.
Four strands, woven together.
Street contact opens the door. Mentoring, training and safety work happen inside those relationships — not as separate workshops, but paced to each young person by someone they already trust.
Weekly detached outreach
Two senior detached workers and a junior worker out in Central Park every Tuesday — building relationships, offering diversion and on-the-spot safeguarding, with refreshments to keep the conversation going.
1:1 mentoring for young people
Dedicated support from a male mentor who's a trusted, familiar face — for the Koru-Ed cohort and young people signposted by schools, police and local services.
- Accredited training toward real qualifications
- Work-readiness: CVs, applications, interviews
- GCSE support and soft skills
- Consequence training and conflict management
Young women's mentoring
A dedicated offer led by a female mentor — a safe, relatable space and consistent 1:1 support, making it easier for young women to talk openly and be heard.
- Women's safety and knowing where to turn
- Healthy relationships, boundaries and consent
- Self-esteem, resilience and confidence
Accredited training & work-readiness
A core aim is getting young people — especially school leavers — work ready. Certificated training sits alongside GCSE support and employability coaching, with fees and materials covered so cost is never a barrier.
Same place, same time, every week.
in Central Park
Harold Hill, Romford — look for the Youth Unity team.
No sign-up, no pressure.
You don't need to book, bring anything, or commit to anything. Come and say hello, or just see what's going on.
- Just comeTurn up during the session and chat to a worker.
- ReferSchools, police and services can signpost a young person to us.
- AskParents and carers can get in touch any time to find out more.
Working with Koru-Ed.
Together we reach some of the most vulnerable young people in Harold Hill — and extend that same intensive, one-to-one support to those signposted by schools, the police and the local authority.
Our partnership with Koru-Ed is at the heart of the mentoring. Through it we work with a group of young people who live locally, providing dedicated 1:1 support delivered by a mentor already well known to the cohort — so intensive mentoring is effective from day one.
That same support reaches beyond the Koru-Ed group: young people we meet through the Central Park outreach, and those referred to us by local services, are welcomed into the same trusted, individualised offer.
Everything is tracked and reported alongside our partners, aligned to Havering and VRU outcome frameworks, so the impact is clear and shared.
From weekly contact to safer choices.
- A trusted street presence with on-the-spot safeguarding
- Diversion in the moment, when it matters
- Relationships kept, not lost
- Growing confidence and trust in services
- Progress toward real qualifications
- Young women better supported around safety
- School leavers into education, training or work
- Less vulnerability to exploitation and violence
- Durable mentoring relationships that last
Know a young person who'd benefit? Or want to support the work?
Whether you're a parent, a young person, a school, a service, or someone who wants to help keep this presence in Harold Hill — we'd love to hear from you.




























