RDSBL partners with "360 Degrees of Hope" to support youth
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Published
01 October 2025
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The University of East London’s Royal Docks School of Business and Law (RDSBL), through its Academy of Policing and Criminal Justice and with the support of the School’s Noon Centre, has announced a new partnership with the pioneering “360 Degrees of Hope” (H360) programme.
This UK-wide initiative, founded by Colin Burton, National Police Chiefs’ Council National Community Reference Group Lead, will be co-led by Dr Doirean Wilson BEM, CMBE, Director of the Academy of Policing and Criminal Justice at RDSBL. The programme aims to address youth unemployment, re-engage young people in education, and reduce crime by offering mentoring, skills training, employment opportunities, and sport-based personal development. Partners include football clubs, cricket clubs, police forces, the judiciary, private sector companies and grassroots organisations.
Colin Burton, Founder of H360, said,
We are delighted to announce a new collaboration between UEL and 360 Degrees of Hope. This partnership brings together expertise, energy, and shared commitment to creating opportunities that will make a real difference in our community. We look forward to working together and sharing more about what this means in the months ahead.”
With over 900,000 young people currently not in education, employment or training across the UK (ONS, 2025), the initiative aims to respond to one of the most pressing challenges faced by communities today by equipping 16–24 year olds with the skills, confidence and opportunities to thrive.
Rt. Hon. Stuart Lawrence, an advisory member of the H360, commented,
“I am delighted to be joining the board of 360 Degrees of Hope. It is a privilege to be part of an organisation with such an inspiring mission, and I am genuinely excited about the journey ahead. There is so much potential here, and I am eager to contribute wherever I can.”
Speaking at the launch on 10 September 2025, Professor Fatima Annan-Diab, Executive Dean of RDSBL, said,
“I am proud that the Royal Docks School of Business and Law is the home of this pioneering initiative. It reflects our values, innovation, inclusion, and integrity, and our belief that education must be a force for good. Let us work together, across sectors, communities, and generations, to ensure that 360 Degrees of Hope becomes not just a programme, but a movement. A movement that transforms lives, strengthens communities, and builds a future rooted in equity and opportunity.”
The launch of this partnership underscores RDSBL’s commitment to collaborating with communities and partners to address pressing social challenges. Through 360 Degrees of Hope, the University and its collaborators aim to create lasting change by opening doors for young people and helping them build brighter futures.