Social Ark

Social Ark Our values of whole regardless of & other barriers

Social Ark is a grassroots charity in East London that supports young people from under-resourced communities to develop social businesses that empower their own communities and beyond!

We have some brilliant news to share! Our application to The National Lottery Community Fund’s UK Fund Portfolio has bee...
14/10/2026

We have some brilliant news to share!

Our application to The National Lottery Community Fund’s UK Fund Portfolio has been successful, and we have been awarded a multi-year grant of £951,596.

The funding will support Cultural Exchange: “Across the Tracks”, which will see us collaborate with trusted partners across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This project has been in the making for a long time and builds on our 10-year track record of nurturing young changemakers with lived experience. We’re now ready to take our work from local and England-wide to UK-wide: sharing power, amplifying youth voices and disrupting systems through grassroots youth action.

We’ll shift power towards young people who might not yet see themselves as leaders. By exploring their identities, cultures, and lived experiences, we’ll support them to develop as leaders and tackle the issues that matter to them through social action and social enterprise. For over 18 months, we’ve been building partnerships and planning strategically, and some very special people have supported us along the way. Special thanks to our young team, including Will, Brogan, Amina, who positively influenced the project. Tasha Coperthwaite, Israel Eguaogie, Margaret Gibson OBE, Peter Holbrook, Dr Geoff Leask, Michelle May, Lisa McKenzie and Prince Okorie, who spoke highly of Social Ark through referencing.

Thank you to our trustee Emma Macklin and to Davinder Palek from The National Lottery Community Fund; your understanding and guidance have been invaluable.

A huge thank you also to The National Lottery Community Fund and to National Lottery players for making this possible, and to our partners for their trust and commitment. We can’t wait to get started.

Honouring Our Community | Meet KatakyieFrom Step-Up participant to leading Operations and programmes at Social Ark, Kata...
14/10/2026

Honouring Our Community | Meet Katakyie

From Step-Up participant to leading Operations and programmes at Social Ark, Katakyie’s journey is a powerful example of growth, leadership and giving back.

A multi-award-winning changemaker and founder of Xconversation CIC, Katakyie continues to champion justice reform and create opportunities for young people to thrive.

At Social Ark, we’re proud to celebrate the incredible impact he continues to make, both within our organisation and beyond.

❤️💛💚 This Black History Month, we’re celebrating the people who turn their experiences into opportunities for others.

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SOCIAL ARK’S OCTOBER HALF-TERM CAMP IS HERE! 🎉We’re back for another fun-filled week of creativity, laughter, new friend...
12/10/2026

SOCIAL ARK’S OCTOBER HALF-TERM CAMP IS HERE! 🎉

We’re back for another fun-filled week of creativity, laughter, new friendships and unforgettable memories!

From arts & crafts and creative workshops to cooking, baking and exciting games, we’ve got plenty planned to keep the young people engaged, inspired and having fun!

📅 26th – 30th October 2026
⏰ 10am – 4pm
📍 The Dovetail
🌅 Breakfast Club available from 8:30am!

Whether you’re joining us again or coming along for the first time, we can’t wait to welcome you! 💙

Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out! The registration link is in our bio! 🔗

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BIRMINGHAM, WE NEED YOU 💙This Saturday, join Social Ark and The Secret Sentence at Birmingham New Street Station as we s...
01/10/2026

BIRMINGHAM, WE NEED YOU 💙

This Saturday, join Social Ark and The Secret Sentence at Birmingham New Street Station as we stand with children and young people affected by parental imprisonment.

Come and hear real stories, challenge the stigma, add your voice and pledge your support. Every conversation can help make sure these children feel seen, heard and supported.

📍 Birmingham New Street Station
📅 Saturday 3 October
⏰ 10am–4pm

Come down, get involved and help us show that stigma has no home here.

Step Up. Don’t Step Back.

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Going at your own pace.This week at Step Up, we had the pleasure of welcoming our long-time friend, Abdirahim Hassan fro...
29/09/2026

Going at your own pace.

This week at Step Up, we had the pleasure of welcoming our long-time friend, Abdirahim Hassan from Coffee Afrik CIC , for a powerful conversation and Q&A about what it really means to grow an organisation while staying rooted in community.

Abdi shared his journey of building Coffee Afrik from an organisation operating with minimal funding to one now bringing in £2m+ a year, without losing sight of its purpose, values or the communities it exists to serve.

We spoke about growth, lived experience, solidarity across the sector and the importance of creating culturally sensitive, trauma-informed spaces centred on healing, liberation, community wealth building and sharing power. Abdi talked about the importance of ‘trust’ when it comes to community making the very decisions that affect them. He also shared lots of tips and insights into building relationships with funders and stakeholders and sticking to your values, and how that sometimes meant refusing funding or partnerships when values aren’t aligned

One of the biggest reminders from the conversation was that success doesn’t have to mean following someone else’s timeline. You can grow, build and create impact at your own pace and in a way that stays true to your values.

The conversation was so pure and heartwarming, and over lovely food, we reflected on authentic working-class community building. Thank you, Abdi for spending your evening with us and sharing your journey with our cohort of young early-stage social entrepreneurs so openly and honestly 💙

Thank you to Liontrust Asset Management and for funding this programme!

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14/09/2026

WHAT A MONTH. ☀️💙

August was one for the books! Five days a week, 8am–4pm. Our team showed up, delivered, and gave it everything.

We went on so many amazing trips 🚌, cooked (and ate! 😋) some delicious meals, created memories, laughed A LOT, and most importantly, had the privilege of meeting and spending time with so many incredible young people and their families.

It was busy. It was full-on. It was unforgettable. And we loved every second of it. 🚀🚀

A huge thank you to , and for helping make this summer possible, and a very special thank you to for sponsoring travel for our trips. Your support helped us give our young people experiences and memories that will stay with them long after summer. 🙏💙

And to every team member, parent, young person, supporter and everyone who played a part - thank you!! This camp wouldn’t have been what it was without you.

We’ve got so much feedback, so many moments and so many stories still to share… 👀

August, you were incredible. ☀️

Here’s to more camps, more experiences, more memories and an even bigger future. 💛✨

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28/08/2026

We kicked things off with a trip to Westfield, where we got the team-building spirit going with an exciting game of Mafia 🕵️‍♀️😂; plenty of teamwork, detective skills and a little friendly suspicion!

Then it was time to hit the bowling lanes 🎳, enjoy some well-earned lunch 🍕, and finish off the day with some fun and fresh air at the park 🌳⚽️

Lots of laughs, great memories and brilliant team spirit all around! 💙🙏

Thank you to , and for funding this summer camp!!

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24/08/2026

LAST WEEK OF SUMMER CAMP & WE’RE GOING OUT WITH A BANG! 🔥☀️

Today was a FULL DAY OUT at Stubbers Adventure Centre and what a day it was! 🚌🧗‍♂️🏖️🌳

A MASSIVE shoutout and thank you to J & N Waste Limited for sponsoring our coach and helping us give the children such an amazing summer experience! 🙌🏾💚

Your support made today possible, and we truly appreciate you investing in our young people and helping us create memories they’ll be talking about for a long time!

The kids had an absolute BLAST! From rock climbing 🧗🏾‍♀️, beach fun 🏖️, activities and adventures, to enjoying the park; they were busy, active and smiling ALL DAY! 😍

And of course, we had to keep everybody fuelled! 😋🥪

Lunch was fully loaded with sandwiches, drinks, crisps, cookies, fruit and plenty more to keep those energy levels UP! 🧃🍪🍎

This is what summer camp is all about, new experiences, big adventures, friendships, laughter and unforgettable memories! 💙

It’s the LAST WEEK OF SUMMER CAMP, so you already know we’re making EVERY DAY COUNT! 🚀🔥

Thank you to , and for funding the Summer Camp!!

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22/08/2026

After a busy week at Summer Camp, Fridays are all about slowing things down, getting creative and enjoying some good weather.

This week, our young people took over the pavement outside Dovetail with chalk, creating some amazing artwork and adding a little colour to the community. 🌈
A simple way to keep everyone occupied, get creative and enjoy being outside together.

Good weather, good vibes and plenty of chalk. 💛

Thank you to , and for funding this summer camp!!

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20/08/2026

What an amazing day! 🤩 Today we headed to Beckton for a fun-filled trip to the trampoline park, and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

From the moment we set off, the adventure had already begun, travelling together on the train and DLR 🚆 before arriving ready for an afternoon packed with bouncing, jumping, laughter and LOTS of energy! 🤸‍♀️💨

The children had an absolute blast, challenged themselves, tried new things and certainly tired themselves out along the way! 😂 After all that action, we enjoyed our packed lunches together before squeezing in even more fun.

A brilliant day filled with big smiles, new experiences and great memories with friends. 💛

Now it’s time to recharge… because Summer Camp continues tomorrow! 🙌☀️

Thank you to , and for funding this summer camp!!

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Trinity Centre, East Avenue
London
E126SG

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