OUR HISTORY
Exit Foundation, formerly known as “E-Gangs,” was established in 2012 by Paul Dayes with a mission to support individuals in leaving behind a life of crime and gang involvement, guiding them toward brighter futures. For over 12 years, we have partnered with the Criminal Justice System to deliver a specialised mentoring service focused on relationship building, early intervention, and prevention.
LOVE NEVER FAILS
At Exit Foundation, we believe that love never fails. It’s our mission to help individuals exit street life into a brighter future.
OUR FOUNDER
Driven by his own life experiences, Exit Foundation founder Paul Dayes is deeply passionate about helping young people avoid the mistakes he once made. His journey into this work began in 2011 when the organisation Gangsline recognised his commitment to supporting disaffected individuals. Paul was brought on as a mentor and support worker, assisting young people across Greater London, including ex-offenders, in accessing employment, training, and education opportunities.
In 2012, Paul established the Exit Foundation and developed a bespoke 16-week mentoring program. This program is designed to address the root causes of an individual’s challenges, tailoring support and resources to meet their unique needs effectively.
OUR STORY
The Exit Foundation was established in response to the 2011 London riots, beginning its mentoring work on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham, supporting individuals referred by the local youth club. This led to Paul Dayes spending 5 years spearheading the government-backed Gangs Prevention Program in Waltham Forest, where Exit Foundation worked alongside the police, probation, Youth Offending Services, victim support, and social services to mentor individuals aged 18+ and guide them into employment, training, and education. Paul also developed a Gangs Awareness workshop for professionals during this time.
Following the program’s success, Exit Foundation expanded its 16-week bespoke mentoring services across Greater London and Essex, working with a wide range of young people that were referred to our services.
In January 2018, commissioned by M.O.P.A.C., Exit Foundation began supporting under-18s in Newham and developed AQA-certified workshops in Motor Mechanics, PAT Testing, and Furniture Warehouse Skills. These workshops were developed to assess gaps in training, and to help young people gain meaningful employment – particularly those on extended court orders from the Youth Offending Service.
In March 2019, Newham Children’s Social Care engaged Exit Foundation to deliver early intervention and mentoring programs for at-risk young people.
OUR GOAL
Our primary goal is to empower individuals to transition into employment, training, or education. To achieve this, we provide a comprehensive support package underpinned by a multi-agency approach. This ensures that where we cannot directly deliver a service, we can connect individuals to trusted partners with the expertise and resources to meet their specific needs.
All staff are DBS-checked, GDPR-compliant, and trained in contextual safeguarding, ensuring appropriate information-sharing with professionals when necessary.
If you’d like to help inspire a brighter future and are interested in becoming a mentor or volunteer, please do get in touch.
It is with your kind support that we have been able to help many individuals exit their old lifestyles and step into brighter futures.
To help us continue to support individuals and carry out preventative work, please click the button below to donate.
