Helping Young People Excel Beyond Barriers
Providing young people with a safe, structured environment for emotional wellbeing, resilience building, mentoring, and educational support to transform their futures.
A Hub Focused on Youth Potential
H.Y.P.E Youth Hub offers a safeguarding-led space blending mental health and early intervention expertise. Our services cover mentoring, education, fitness, creative arts, and family support, helping young people overcome challenges and build brighter life paths.
Vision
To create a safe, aspirational youth hub where young people are supported to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.
Core Aim
To improve mental health, resilience, and life outcomes through early intervention and structured support.
Objectives
- Improve emotional wellbeing and mental health
- Reduce involvement in anti-social behaviour and exploitation
- Increase engagement in education
- Build confidence, resilience, and aspiration
- Strengthen family and community support
1.5k
Youth Empowered
10k+
Hours of Mentoring Delivered
85%
Successful Educational Outcomes
Meet the team
Meet Ricardo Joseph
Ricardo Joseph is the founder of the Mentoring Minds Prevention & Early Intervention Programme and a passionate mentor dedicated to supporting young people and families through guidance, discipline, and lived experience.
Alongside his mentoring work, Ricardo is also an MMA fighter and trainer who works closely with children and young people, using sport, fitness, and discipline as powerful tools to build confidence, resilience, focus, and self-belief. Through physical training and positive mentorship, he encourages young people to channel their energy into personal growth, wellbeing, and positive life choices.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ricardo played an active role in supporting vulnerable children, young people, and families within the community, providing mentorship, emotional support, guidance, and practical help during an extremely challenging time.
Ricardo leads a strong team of experienced mentors, many of whom have overcome their own past experiences involving crime, violence, gang affiliation, and adversity. Having successfully broken negative cycles within their own lives, the team now use their lived experiences to positively mentor, guide, and inspire the next generation.
Their authenticity, relatability, and understanding allow them to build genuine connections with young people who may feel misunderstood, vulnerable, or disconnected from education and support services.
Together, the Mentoring Minds team work to:
- Prevent youth violence and exploitation
- Support emotional wellbeing and mental health
- Build confidence, discipline, and resilience
- Encourage positive decision-making
- Promote education, leadership, and aspiration
- Help young people create safer and more positive futures
At the heart of the programme is the belief that with the right support, guidance, and positive role models, every young person has the ability to change their path and unlock their full potential.
Meet Ladlee Bains
Ladlee is the Director of H.Y.P.E Helping Young People Excel and has over 10 years of experience working with children, young people, and families across Birmingham within education, safeguarding, and pastoral support settings.
With an extensive background in high-risk school environments, Ladlee has worked closely with vulnerable young people facing challenges linked to behavioural difficulties, mental health, gang affiliation, exploitation, trauma, poverty, and adverse childhood experiences. Her work has focused on early intervention, prevention, safeguarding, emotional wellbeing, and supporting students who are at risk of exclusion or disengagement from education.
Ladlee has served as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Senior Mental Health Lead within secondary school settings, where she has developed strong expertise in safeguarding practice, multi-agency working, contextual safeguarding, trauma-informed approaches, and child-centred intervention strategies.
Passionate about creating positive opportunities for young people, Ladlee is committed to building programmes that empower students, strengthen resilience, improve wellbeing, and help young people recognise their value and potential. Her approach is rooted in empathy, consistency, relationship-building, and creating safe environments where young people feel heard, supported, and inspired to succeed.
Through H.Y.P.E, Ladlee continues to work alongside schools, families, mentors, and communities to deliver impactful prevention and early intervention programmes that promote positive outcomes, personal growth, and long-term change for young people.
Mental Health Support
Led by skilled professionals, we offer trauma-informed support tailored to emotional wellbeing and early intervention.
Behaviour is often a response to trauma, adversity, and unmet needs.
Key Principles
- Emotional and physical safety
- Consistency and routine
- Trusted adult relationships
- Strength-based engagement
- Early intervention
Mental health is embedded across all provision — it is the foundation of H.Y.P.E
Mentoring Minds Prevention & Early Intervention Programme
Assistant Manager & Director-Leads on youth engagement and mentoring delivery
Led by Ricardo Joseph, the Mentoring Minds Prevention & Early Intervention Programme is designed to support young people through mentoring, mindset development, lived experience, and positive intervention.
Drawing from real-life experiences and transformational journeys, Ricardo Joseph delivers relatable and impactful sessions that encourage young people to reflect on their choices, identity, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and future aspirations. His work focuses on helping young people navigate challenges, break negative cycles, and develop the confidence and resilience needed to thrive both in and outside of education.
The programme has worked alongside schools, youth organisations, and community initiatives to support young people at risk of exclusion, exploitation, gang involvement, poor mental wellbeing, and disengagement from education.
Using a trauma-informed and relationship-based approach, Mentoring Minds empowers young people to:
- Build confidence and self-worth
- Develop emotional resilience and coping strategies
- Improve behaviour, engagement, and communication
- Make safer and more informed decisions
- Strengthen leadership skills and future aspirations
- Understand the consequences of crime, violence, and negative influences
Ricardo Joseph is recognised for his authentic mentoring style, ability to connect with young people through lived experience, and commitment to creating meaningful change within schools and communities. Through Pathways to Purpose, H.Y.P.E and Mentoring Minds work together to provide transformative early intervention support that helps young people rediscover purpose, unlock potential, and build positive pathways for the future.
Mentoring & Education
Mentoring, Tuition & Academic Support
At H.Y.P.E Helping Young People Excel, we understand that many young people need both emotional support and academic guidance to fully reach their potential.
Our programmes combine one-to-one mentoring, group mentoring, and targeted English and Maths tuition to help students build confidence, improve engagement, and achieve greater success within education.
Through trusted mentoring relationships, young people are provided with consistent support, encouragement, and guidance tailored to their individual needs. Sessions focus on confidence-building, emotional wellbeing, goal setting, behaviour, motivation, and helping students overcome personal barriers that may impact their education.
Alongside mentoring, our English and Maths support helps students strengthen core skills, improve classroom confidence, and develop a more positive attitude towards learning. We aim to create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable asking for help, developing their abilities, and recognising their progress.
Our mentoring and tuition approach helps young people to:
- Improve confidence and self-belief
- Increase engagement in education
- Strengthen literacy and numeracy skills
- Develop positive study habits and motivation
- Build resilience and problem-solving skills
- Improve behaviour, attendance, and participation
- Raise aspirations and future opportunities
By combining academic support with positive mentoring and relationship-building, we help young people feel more capable, supported, and empowered to succeed both in school and beyond.
Creative & Fitness Programs
Creative Engagement & Personal Development
At H.Y.P.E Helping Young People Excel, we believe that young people thrive when they are given positive outlets to express themselves, build confidence, and develop a sense of belonging.
Our programmes incorporate engaging activities such as music production, sports, fitness, and creative expression to help young people channel their energy positively while developing important life skills. These sessions create safe and supportive environments where young people can build trust, strengthen relationships, and discover new talents and interests.
Through music production and creative projects, students are encouraged to express emotions, share experiences, and develop confidence through storytelling, songwriting, recording, and collaboration. These activities promote self-expression, communication, and emotional wellbeing while giving young people a voice.
Sports and fitness activities are used to promote discipline, teamwork, leadership, resilience, and healthy lifestyles. Young people learn the importance of accountability, respect, perseverance, and working together while improving both physical and mental wellbeing.
By combining mentoring with creative and physical engagement, we create meaningful opportunities for young people to:
- Build confidence and self-esteem
- Develop teamwork and leadership skills
- Improve emotional wellbeing
- Strengthen communication and social skills
- Reduce disengagement and negative behaviours
- Discover positive interests and future aspirations
Our approach focuses on building positive relationships, encouraging personal growth, and helping young people recognise their potential both inside and outside of education.
Family & Safeguarding Care
Ladlee Bains – Director & Youth Hub Manager
Ladlee Bains is an experienced safeguarding and wellbeing professional with over 10 years of experience working within Birmingham communities, supporting vulnerable children, young people, and families in high-risk and complex environments.
As a qualified Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Senior Mental Health Lead, and practitioner trained in Trauma-Informed Practice, Ladlee has extensive experience working directly with young people affected by:
- Criminal exploitation and gang affiliation
- Emotional and behavioural difficulties
- Mental health challenges
- Family breakdown and adversity
- School disengagement and exclusion
Having worked across Birmingham for more than a decade, Ladlee has developed a strong understanding of the challenges facing young people growing up in areas impacted by poverty, violence, trauma, and social inequality.
Her approach is rooted in:
- Trauma-informed practice
- Safeguarding excellence
- Mental health awareness
- Early intervention and prevention
- Building trusted relationships with young people and families
Ladlee specialises in creating safe, supportive environments where children and young people feel valued, understood, and empowered to achieve positive outcomes.
Through H.Y.P.E, her mission is to provide more than just youth provision — creating a service that protects young people from harm, strengthens families, improves emotional wellbeing, and helps build safer, stronger communities.
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