What is Kailo?

Kailo is a youth-led, systems-change programme that supports young people to explore the issues affecting their lives and communities, and to co-design practical solutions that can create long-term change. Rather than focusing only on individual behaviour, Kailo helps young people look at the wider systems around them — such as services, environments, relationships and opportunities — and identify where change can have the biggest impact.

Young people take part in a structured journey known as the “Small Circle”, where the same group meets regularly over several months to build trust, share experiences, map challenges in their community, and work together to develop and test ideas for change. Alongside this, a wider “Big Circle” of community partners, organisations and stakeholders is involved to help sense-check ideas, bring in expertise and support the development of solutions.

The programme follows a clear co-design process:

• building trust and shared understanding,

• exploring the “opportunity area” and mapping how different issues are connected,

• identifying leverage points where change is possible, and

• developing, testing and refining youth-led solutions that can be taken forward with partners.

Through regular presence and open, supportive conversations, we create safe spaces for young people to talk about issues such as online safety, social pressures, and vulnerability to exploitation and violence. This approach allows young people to reflect, ask questions, and access trusted support, while strengthening positive connections between young people, local services, and the community.

This partnership is focused on prevention and early help, strengthening relationships between young people and services, and ensuring young people are supported before challenges escalate.