Who We Are
Be Inspired is a specialist organisation supporting young people across London to build safer, more positive futures.
We work with young people facing a range of challenges, providing consistent support, trusted relationships and real opportunities to help them grow in confidence, make positive choices and feel inspired about what comes next.
Our History
Be Inspired was founded in 2017 by two local dads, Adam Ballard and Ben Eckett, in response to the challenges they were seeing within their community.
As parents, they wanted to create safer, more positive opportunities not just for their own children, but for young people across London. What began as a grassroots effort quickly grew into something bigger.
Initially operating as two separate initiatives - Gloves Not Gunz and Urban Yogis, their work focused on engaging young people through sport and wellbeing. Over time, these programmes evolved and came together to form Be Inspired delivering holistic, long-term support to hundreds of young people across London every year.
Adam's Legacy
In January 2025, Be Inspired lost its Co-Founder, Adam Ballard, following his sudden and unexpected passing. Adam dedicated his life to creating brighter futures for young people, believing that every young person deserved the opportunity, support and encouragement to fulfil their potential. His passion, kindness and unwavering commitment transformed countless lives and inspired everyone who had the privilege of working alongside him.
Today, Adam's legacy lives on through every programme we deliver, every young person we support and every opportunity we create. His vision continues to guide Be Inspired, reminding us why this work matters and inspiring us to build on the foundation he created for generations to come.
Our Mission at Be Inspired
We exist to inspire and support young people to make positive life choices.
Through mentoring, sport, therapy, education and employment pathways, we provide the tools, relationships and opportunities young people need to feel safe, build confidence and shape their own futures.
Our Core Values
Empower
We empower young people to recognise their strengths, build confidence and take control of their future.
We help them make positive choices and believe in what they can achieve.
Excel
We strive for excellence in everything we do.
We set high standards, continuously learn and adapt, and work to deliver the best possible outcomes for every young person.
Enrich
We enrich the lives of young people by creating opportunities, broadening experiences and building skills that support long-term success.
Our Impact
Every year, we support hundreds of young people across London through weekly programmes and thousands of hours of meaningful engagement.
700+
Young people positively impacted in our communities
500+
Empowering sports community sessions delivered
25+
Programmes running weekly across 6 London boroughs
6,207
Contact hours delivered by the Be Inspired team
Meet The Team
Our Senior Leadership Team
Our Senior Leadership Team brings extensive experience across social care, social services, education, finance and corporate sectors.
With a deep understanding of the challenges facing young people and the systems that support them, our senior leadership team leads the organisation with a strong focus on quality, safeguarding and long-term impact.
Their combined expertise ensures our work is both strategically driven and grounded in real-world experience with the organisation delivering meaningful outcomes for the young people and communities we serve.
Meet our Senior Leadership Team below.
Ben Eckett
Director & Founder
Ben has over 20 years of experience working with young people across youth work, social care, education and crime prevention. Throughout his career, he has been driven by a genuine passion for helping young people overcome challenges, build confidence and realise their potential.
As Co-Founder and Director of Be Inspired Youth & Community C.I.C., Ben combines his professional experience with a strong belief that every young person deserves opportunities to grow, feel valued and have someone in their corner. He is passionate about creating programmes that inspire confidence, encourage positive choices and give young people the tools they need to thrive.
Ben is committed to making a lasting difference in local communities by building trusted relationships, creating meaningful opportunities and ensuring young people feel supported every step of the way.
Scott Arnott
Director
Scott brings a wealth of experience in finance, business management and strategic planning, having built a successful career across both corporate and self-employed businesses. Alongside his background in finance, he also runs his own landscaping business, giving him first-hand experience of growing and managing a business from the ground up.
As a Director of Be Inspired Youth & Community C.I.C., Scott plays a key role in shaping the organisation's strategy and long-term sustainability. Passionate about creating opportunities that have a lasting impact, he is committed to ensuring Be Inspired continues to grow while staying true to its values and the communities it serves.
Scott believes that strong leadership, sound decision-making and a people-first approach provide the foundations for creating meaningful and lasting change.
Hannes
Director
Hannes' journey with Be Inspired began as a young person, regularly attending our boxing and fitness sessions. Over the years, he became a familiar face within the organisation, embracing every opportunity to learn, grow and give back to the community that helped shape him.
Having experienced Be Inspired's programmes first-hand, Hannes brings a valuable perspective to the leadership team. Recently appointed as a Director, he has also been involved in violence reduction work in Barbados, where he shared his experiences directly with the Prime Minister, highlighting the importance of youth intervention and community-led support.
A much-loved member of the Be Inspired community, Hannes is passionate about inspiring the next generation and showing young people what's possible with the right support, opportunities and belief in themselves.
Dulane Smith
Team Leader
Dulane is one of Be Inspired's Team Leaders, overseeing our Serious Youth Violence Specialists and Youth Intervention Leaders. With extensive experience supporting young people affected by serious youth violence, exploitation and criminal involvement, he brings a wealth of knowledge and understanding to the team.
Dulane is passionate about helping young people move away from violence and make positive, lasting changes in their lives. He believes in building trusted relationships, understanding each young person's individual journey and providing the support they need to create brighter futures.
His calm, approachable nature and commitment to making a genuine difference help ensure young people feel heard, supported and empowered to reach their full potential.
Clo Ryan
Team Leader
Clo is one of Be Inspired's Team Leaders, supporting and managing our Youth Intervention Leaders to ensure young people receive the guidance and support they need to make positive changes.
With a background as a Youth Justice Case Manager and Residential Support Worker, Clo has extensive experience working with young people facing complex challenges. Clo's approach is centred on building trust, providing consistent support and helping young people recognise their strengths and potential.
Alongside their role at Be Inspired, Clo is a member of the Youth Practitioners Advisory Board for the Mayor of London's Violence Reduction Unit, contributing frontline insight to help shape approaches to reducing youth violence and improving outcomes for young people.
Our General Team
Our team is made up of skilled practitioners, mentors and specialists who are passionate about supporting young people to thrive.
All staff are fully DBS checked and trained to the highest safeguarding standards. Many hold recognised qualifications in youth work, education, mentoring and trauma-informed practice, with several recognised for their contributions to youth engagement and support.
We work collaboratively with schools, social workers and partner agencies, contributing to panels, strategy meetings and case reviews to ensure joined-up, consistent support for every young person.
Youth Panel
Our Youth Panel plays a vital role in shaping the work we do.
Made up of young people with lived experience, the panel ensures that the youth voice is at the heart of our programmes, helping us design services that are relevant, engaging and responsive to real needs.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors provides strategic oversight, governance and accountability across the organisation.
Bringing together a range of professional expertise and lived experience, the Board supports our leadership team to ensure strong decision-making, sustainable growth and the continued delivery of high-quality services.
They play a key role in guiding our long-term vision while ensuring we remain focused on creating meaningful impact for young people.
Become Part of the
Be Inspired Community
Community is at the heart of everything we do.
Whether you’re a young person ready to get involved, want to refer someone who could benefit from support, or are interested in supporting our work, we’d love to hear from you.
