Six Months In: A Letter to Our Community

Dear friends, supporters, and fellow changemakers,

As we reach the halfway point of 2025, we wanted to pause and reflect on the journey so far. Politely Rebellious Next Gen CIC was born from a bold vision: to stand with young people, not above them. To challenge systems with grace, and to build bridges where others build walls.

January to March: Finding Our Feet

The first quarter of the year was all about laying foundations, digitally and physically. We introduced ourselves to the world, met with schools, alternative provisions and began building trust in the community. The response? Phenomenal. The encouragement from Portsmouth’s people and those beyond the island, especially our young people has been overwhelming.

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Every single funding application we submitted was turned down. Upwards of 40 applications. That stung. Not because we doubted our mission, but because it reminded us of how hard it is to be heard when you’re doing something different.

Funding: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Here’s the truth: many funders believe our work should be a statutory requirement. We agree. But schools don’t have the budgets, and funders won’t fund what they think government should cover. So, we’re stuck. We can’t live on fumes, people. We’re calling on funders, policymakers, and community leaders to read the Portsmouth Community Safety Plan 2025–2028. It highlights knife-enabled violence, youth exploitation, and early intervention as top priorities. Our work directly addresses these. We also urge you to read the Ofsted 2019 report on knife crime in education and the Multi-agency responses to serious youth violence_ working together to support and protect children - GOV.UK.pdf. The data is clear: early intervention, mentoring, and community-based support work is paramount. That’s exactly what we do.

April to June: Breaking Through

Moving on brought Spring and with it, a breakthrough. While we still haven’t received a penny from traditional funders like the National Lottery, local authorities, or big corporates, we’ve still pushed on and connected with almost 3,000 young people through assemblies, workshops and one-to-one mentoring. Also, through our collaborative work with Smart Futures, working with 16–17-year-olds who are at high risk of becoming NEET. We’ve provided meaningful work experience, mentoring and created VOYCE, a platform for young people to express themselves and shape their futures. The impact over the past six months has been profound, offering both hope and tangible opportunities for growth.

Collectively, this is not just a number! This is almost 3,000 lives touched. 3,000 stories. 3,000 reasons to keep us going.

We’ve also been blessed, so far, with seven incredible business sponsors. Whether they pledged £250 or £5,000, every single contribution has helped us to keep the lights on and the momentum going. To our sponsors: thank you. You see us. You believe in us. You’re investing in the change.

The Political Landscape: A Game We’re Forced to Play

Navigating politics has been the hardest part. We don’t align with any one party; we align with people. We respect the achievements of all political leaders, and their parties, however, the way they tear each other down instead of building something momentous together is something I’ve never seen on a council estate, in the quiet community of Drayton, or even in the ‘dog eat dog’ corporate world I recently left after 13 successful years.

It’s a game we, the people, are forced to play. And it’s exhausting. We’re still trying to access central government funding, but the process is slow, political, and often feels like shouting into the void. Still, we keep the faith and continue to chip away, one Politely Rebellious email and meeting at a time.

It must be duly recognised that we are the only CIC brave enough to be actively going into schools, alternative provisions, round tables, executive meetings and corporate events to spread awareness about knife crime, exploitation, and youth safety. This unique positioning needs to be recognised and supported.

The urgency of funding cannot be overstated. Without it, we risk losing the momentum and trust we’ve built with thousands of young people and the institutions that support them.

Schools: Our Brave Partners

We’ve now met with 24 schools. The love is mutual, and they want us in. But they’re also scared. Scared they have no budgets and no training on topics everyone is shying away from. But we see them. We stand with them. And we’ll keep showing up. The feedback from all the schools we’ve worked with has been astounding. They not only value our presence, but we have already started booking sessions in for September 2025 and beyond. This overwhelming response underscores the importance of securing the funding we desperately need to continue our work.

 

The Data: Our Impact So Far

· Almost 3,000 young people reached

· Engagement with 24 schools across Portsmouth & the wider areas.

· Business sponsors currently at 7

· An astounding group of 15 epic role models & 2 Creative partners raring to go

· Non-Exec Directors appointed x 2

 

In Closing: We’re Still Here

We’re still standing. Still rebellious. Still polite. Still believing in the power of young people to change the world. This can only happen when we give them the education, the voice, and the love they deserve.

Thank you for walking with us. If you’re reading this, you are a part of the movement.

 

With gratitude and grit,

Keshia Stewart

Founder, Politely Rebellious Next Gen CIC