Philip Udeh

Philip Udeh

Philip Udeh established Community Builders in order to inspire tomorrow’s generation to be today’s leaders. Community Builders currently deliver an innovative peer-led intervention which is called the REAL Talk programme, tackling youth criminality and raising aspirations across London.

Philip grew up in London in Brixton and then Haringey. He went to a school where for many young people crime and anti-social behaviour in their local area was a distraction from academic achievement.

Unlike many of his peers and under the judicious care of his parents Philip did well, going on to the LSE to study Development Economics. Afterwards he worked for CAFOD, delivering presentations in schools and engaging university students in campaigns including Make Poverty History. After the campaign Philip became disillusioned with the ability of multi-million pound campaigns to deliver real change. He wanted to make a direct and immediate impact on people’s lives so he left CAFOD and went to work in Lewisham as an equalities officer for youth & education.

While there he realised that empowering young people to exercise their rights and supporting youth-led social action projects was a real chance to make a change. This is the core aim of Community Builders, which is seeking to create new opportunities for young people to take positive social action. The REAL Talk peer led educational project uses young facilitators to run structured workshops in inner city schools. The aim of REAL Talk is to change the mindset that says ‘your environment always determines your identity’. The programme helps students to make the necessary link between their ‘ideal lifestyle’ and the steps they need to take to achieve it.

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