BE DIFFERENT365 FOUNDATION
Slogan: 'No One Is Better Than You'
ABOUT US
The BE DIFFERENT365 project began on June 15, 2019, as an ABCD community project. The founder met with an ABCD community Builder, who was enthusiastic about the initiative. Things moved quickly with the help of the Home-Start Croydon Management Team, who gave us a venue to start the process.
Since our inception, we have assisted over 300 Croydon children through weekly virtual and non-virtual engagements and during HAFCroydon and Department for Education-sponsored holiday programmes that help children who receive free school meals. In addition, we have assisted and directed over 200 parents in the borough in gaining access to local services, providing referral advice, and assisting them in developing a passion for participating in community initiatives.
After hosting and successfully supporting over 600 families through the pandemic via virtual activities around mental health, well-being, and isolation, we registered as a Community Interest Company on 4th December 2020 with the full name 'BE DIFFERENT365 FOUNDATION LTD' (CIC).
The Be Different365 Foundation helps children/young people and parents in low-income households thrive and reach their full potential by identifying their purpose, learning new social skills, promoting joyful inspiration, encouraging talent development, and building on their resilience to become better role models in society while also becoming a better version of themselves.
We aspire to raise awareness that inspires positive behaviour and livelihood in the families we work with and support them in reaching their full potential.
By testing our intuition, we use our imagination to create stories. Children may achieve remarkable things if given the chance and resources to succeed.
Meet our online geniuses. The Be Different365 foundation supports children's creativity both online and in person. We want to help children to reach their full potential by empowering their mindset, challenging their creativity, boosting their confidence and self-esteem, and strengthening their resilience.
INITIATIVES
Our initiatives/activities are designed to help children develop their confidence, self-esteem, and resilience through social and creative learning. Every movement tells a story and encourages participants to be their best version.
In-person, Sessions are held on the first and third Saturdays of each month to ensure that families have a safe place to go over the weekend when their children are not in school and to boost their morale. We want to support families recovering from the pandemic, especially children dealing with anxiety, bullying, and other forms of abuse.
We have also collaborated with other organisations such as Home-Start Croydon, Heads2Gether housing project, Croydon Voluntary Action, Yoga and the Mind project, 7upTaichi project, Young@Heart Dance Group Project and others to ensure that families receive support and participate in volunteer opportunities to boost their confidence. In addition, we refer crises like homelessness, domestic violence, and immigration to the appropriate organisations.
Over the last year, we've helped over 300 children through virtual and non-virtual means by providing free fun, creative learning activities like - Mental and physical sports, Yoga, Taekwondo, gardening and nature, cooking/baking/chocolate making, arts and crafts, fashion design, jewellery making, Reading, poetry, storytelling, motivational talks/emotional support, cultural diversity, food nutrition, hygiene, and so on are all activities we are offering.
Holiday lunches and one-on-one conversations with parents to hear what they have to say - Adult weekly discussions to aid recovery from the pandemic that has impacted the mental health of community families. Since June 2019, we have worked with and supported over 600 families in Croydon, and we would like to continue assisting families in low-income households in obtaining quality and sustainable support.
Children and young people's minds and creative abilities are aimed at being empowered and inspired by the Be Different365 foundation. To assist children's physical, emotional, mental, and intellectual growth so they can thrive and realise their full potential without feeling vulnerable by giving them creative possibilities and skill-building opportunities.
Children enjoy telling and creating stories from their imaginations. Here are our participants' original handcrafted Christmas cards designed with pride
FOOD AND NUTRITION SESSION
Every child should learn how to cook food because it is an integral component of life. However, food help with their growth and having an understanding of food elements and promote nutrition. Therefore, we encourage kids to prepare, share, and dine together at Be Different365. This aids children's social development and cooperation.
The Be Different365 initiative helps children between the ages of 4 and 12. It guides parents who wish to support their children's growth and their health and well-being through volunteering, social development, employment skills, entrepreneurship training, and personal development.
We worked with Croydon Council and the Department of Education to offer a six-week Holiday food and fun programme in the summer of 2021. We provided varied programmes to support more than 60 kids and their families. Children were able to forge new friendships and increase their self-assurance and respect thanks to the cohesion.
VISION
We currently need more funding to support us effectively. However, an increase in funding will assist us in running sustainable creative initiatives for children and offer frequent training programmes for our volunteers and adult participants.
To support our five-year vision, we want to expand our team's knowledge and improve our techniques in creating unique initiatives for our participant's experiences.
We want to help reach out to the larger community and work with more families to help them achieve and thrive. We will do so responsibly.
However, in terms of our 10-year vision, we hope to continue to support our past and present participants in achieving whatever goals they set for themselves, such as issuing scholarships, assisting young people/families, establishing business ventures that benefit the Croydon community and the UK, and much more.
Children who have worked with us have written testimonials. It's a spot worth going back to. The Be Different365 Project encourages inspirational positivity.
CEO REMARKS:
Today, I'd like to ask you a question: where do you want to be in five years? Do you want to be disappointed by your failures rather than your successes?
We want our Be Different365 participants to make a difference in their schools, communities, and neighbourhoods. They must remember to explore, dream, and discover to become the best versions of themselves and achievers of their destinies.
We want to use our resources best as we work to make Croydon great. Regardless of cultural, religious, or ethnic affiliation, we want our Be Different365 children to aspire to become socially responsible citizens by loving and learning to give back to their community.
By practising value systems and self-beliefs, the Be Different365 Foundation hopes to empower and encourage children/young people and their families to rise, become self-resilient, and create awareness of who they are. Encourage children and young people to find better ways to identify problems and opportunities and seek resources to solve any problem in their households, communities, and nation. Age is no exception; it all concerns mindset and inner capabilities. Children and young people can create masterpieces if given the right environment.
From age seven, we asked our Be Different365 participants, "What are you doing with your time?" What value does your time generate for you? And assist them in comprehending time conversion models.
Time conversion measures how much time can be converted into added value. Your added value determines your net worth. We want children and teenagers to understand time conversion so well that they can add value.
Bill Gates Quote, "If you compare yourself to anyone in this world, you are insulting yourself."
People can achieve tangible values, products, and services to improve the national economy and communities if time is used wisely.
" Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life," said Steve Jobs. May he rest in peace.
No matter how much faith you have in God, you cannot function effectively unless you have faith in yourself. Remember that 'energy and ideas flow from your self-belief.' One's life must be a series of activities that produce results. If you know what you're good at but don't work on developing, refining, polishing, or adding value to it, it will never be able to reward you.
CEO/Founder: Victoria Kamara
Founder/Project Manager/Business Analyst:
Victoria Kamara
Co-Founder/ Innovation Strategist:
Carl Quist
Safeguarding manager and steering committee lead Emma Kemevor
Parent Coordinator:
and Victoria Randall
Volunteer Coordinator:
Aisha Badamasi
