Communities and neighbourhoods

Make a difference: Be an inspiration

REACH role models Communities and Local Government launched the national Black role model programme on 3 December 2008, the first of its kind, to tackle a culture of low aspirations and low attainment among some Black boys and young Black men. We received over 200 high quality applications and the REACH Panel - Tim Campbell, Simon Woolley, Leroy Logan and Ozwald Boateng - together with a group of young men from around the country - selected the final 20 national role models in November 2008.

The 20 role models will work at a national level, serving as an inspiration to others. They will share their life stories through the media and a new, interactive website, and they will work at a regional level, meeting and inspiring groups of Black boys and young Black men.

They come from a number of different professions including amongst them a fire fighter, teacher, barrister, journalist, naval officer, civil servant, local councillor and a company director and a number of geographical locations from across the country. You can view their biographies under Related Publications below.

They will challenge negative stereotypes, provide a positive image of Black men and directly engage with groups of Black boys and young Black men to encourage and motivate them to do well.

We aim to see a positive impact on the lives of Black boys and young Black men: improved self-image, greater confidence and self-esteem, and pupils doing better at school. Eventually, we hope to see benefits to the economy, communities and society.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said:

"Too much talent has been wasted because our young people don't have the encouragement they need or the inspiration to be ambitious about their future. Everyone deserves the chance to shine so things have got to change. We need to get our young people back on track. The REACH role modelling programme was about finding a way of making a more relevant connection. Nurturing ambitious, realistic aspirations by showing young Black men that they can achieve in any and every walk of life they can imagine. "

For more information on REACH and the national Black role model programme please visit www.direct.gov.uk/REACH (external link). If you are interested sharing your views on raising aspirations and achievement of Black boys and young Black men please visit our REACH discussion forum.

Communities and Local Government ran a grant competition to seek an organisation that will maintain and manage the national role model programme in a way that is independent from government. The successful organisation was the Windsor Fellowship.

Hazel Blears has also announced an additional £1m of funding, to the £1m already provided for REACH, to make this a reality and to continue to progress the other recommendations.