One Champion

At KPE4, we organise our work around four strategic pillars: Nail the Basics, One

Champion, Foster Belief and Collaborate. They are inspired by Maslow’s Hierarchy of

Needs - the idea that it is far harder to learn and thrive when basic needs like

safety, stability and belonging are not met.

One Champion sits right at the heart of that approach: ensuring every child has

access to consistent adult role models who help build confidence and self-belief.

At its core, One Champion speaks to two crucial levels of Maslow’s framework:

belonging and esteem. A trusted adult creates psychological safety and connection.

From there, belief grows - and with it the confidence to take risks and imagine

different futures. For many young people, one consistent adult relationship can

change the trajectory of their lives.

“Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”

- Rita Pierson, Every Kid Needs a Champion Ted Talk

Across Pilton and Muirhouse, we see this championing in action every day.

Spartans Community Youth Work in Primary Schools places youth workers in

local primaries for one full day each week, supporting individuals and small groups

with social, emotional and attainment needs. Through consistent presence, trusted

relationships are built. Beyond the classroom, the power of sport and activity is used

to signpost pupils into wider opportunities out with school timetables, strengthening

both personal confidence and community connection.

Midnight and Beyond champion young men at the point when many services

stop (both in terms of the time of day and their age). Their Go Beyond programme uses

hiking, nature walks, boxing, strength training and other outdoor challenges to build

resilience and a sense of accomplishment. In September 2025, participants took on

the 4,000m Glacier and Mountain Challenge on Gran Paradiso in Italy, travelling

through Switzerland and France. Experiences like this expand horizons, but they are

rooted in something simple: a trusted adult who shows up consistently and believes

in what they can achieve.

Light Up Learning brings championing directly into the school timetable through

one-to-one mentoring. Students meet a trained volunteer mentor once a week for a

50-minute session, shaping projects around what genuinely sparks their imagination

to develop a passion for learning. It might look like planning a creative project,

exploring a new interest, or simply having uninterrupted time with someone who

listens and believes in them and their possibilities.

If we want young people to take risks, think independently and shape their own

futures, we must ensure they feel seen, valued and championed.