One-Eighty was established in 2011, to support and engage young people to live motivated and successful lives through psychological and evidence-based approaches. Since then, we have supported over 3,500 young people (aged 4-18), families and professionals across multiple locations, through our intensive interventions, group work, projects, and training courses, to achieve our charitable aims.
The charity emerged from the Youth Offending Service in Oxfordshire as part of the research and production of a resource manual looking at the various reasons why a young person might disengage from education. This research was based around the critical thinking theories – exposing young people to a collaborative exploration of their life and their motivation. It looks at critical moments of their life and helps them evaluate the evidence by which they acted. This, in effect, allows a young person to create a more positive framework of how they might adjust their behaviours in the future. The process by which critical thinking theories operate are the foundation of other therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Systemic Therapy. Research showed that the resource manual, although effective for 76% of young people presenting disengaging behaviours, was not effective for all young people. What this generic model lacked was something designed around a young person’s specific needs.
Therefore, the co-founders of One-Eighty spent 2 years designing and focusing on a bespoke one-to-one framework that would support young people with more complex needs and behaviours. Over the years, the team has been committed to continuing to research the latest practices in supporting young people and applying this knowledge to intensive interventions, developing projects and running training courses. Through this commitment, One-Eighty is constantly striving for our aim of reaching even more young people, particularly at a time where there are budget cuts and structural changes in local authorities which are significantly impacting opportunities for vulnerable young people.
We work holistically with professionals such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Social Services, the Police, Local Authority agencies, Academies, and Schools, to work alongside and in support of young people and their families. We endeavour to identify with their unique situation and personal needs to enable positive change. We have had many exciting opportunities over the years, including receiving the Charity of the Year Award 2017 with OCVA who recognised the high quality service that we are offering, and have a continually growing and committed team. We are constantly looking ahead and striving towards achieving our charitable aims in the next year as we strategically plan our approaches to ensure we are turning lives around.
One-Eighty’s commitment to their role was impeccable. I feel there is very little they can do to improve the service. One-Eighty provide a valid, trustworthy service for disillusioned young people. Their staff are consummate professionals and I would willingly sign post my peers and colleagues to the service. The young people with whom they worked with from my home have definitely benefitted from the input One-Eighty provided.
Assistant Manager, Children's Home,
London Borough of Hounslow
Our Vision
For every child to enjoy a positive and flourishing relationship with education.
Our Mission
One-Eighty exists to connect vulnerable Children & Young People (aged 4-18) with a positive learning experience through working on patterns of thinking, behaviours and emotions that hinder learning.
Our Values
We are goal orientated and outcome focused. We are innovative in our approach. We offer wrap-around support. We are holistic. We partner with other agencies to develop a creative support package. We see therapeutic work as short-term and intensive. We look to psychology research to influence our ideas. We are a family. We mentor. We engage with people where they are at. We see families as central to behavioural change. We see education as a key to future success. We see schools as the anchor for community cohesion. We believe children and young people can develop their resilience. We are hopeful.
