Since it was established in 1986, HAY has worked tirelessly to support the many children and young people in the London Borough of Hounslow who face big challenges in their lives.
Sadly Hounslow is fraught with social and economic disadvantage. In fact, using measures of income, employment, health, education, crime, barriers to housing and services, plus assessments of the living environment, the neighbourhood in which HAY operates is ranked within the 20% most deprived wards in the country, according to the Communities and Local Government Indices of Deprivation 2015.
For local young people, that means anti-social behaviour, crime, truancy, poor educational attainment, unemployment, gang culture, reliance on benefits, drug and alcohol abuse, family breakdown and teenage pregnancy are just some of the problems they are likely to encounter.
And, without the right support, many children and young people in Hounslow are at risk of heading down the wrong path in life.
The Hanworth Centre is run by Hounslow Action for Youth Association (HAY) which is a charity dedicated to helping vulnerable children and young people reach their full potential. It also aims to help the local community come together in a safe, caring environment.