Empowering Confidence, Identity and Opportunity
Proud to Be Me CIC
Proud to Be Me CIC is a community organisation supporting girls and LGBTQ+ young people, particularly those from Black, Asian and marginalised communities. We look at building confidence, staying safe, and accessing opportunities through trauma-informed programmes.
We create safe, inclusive spaces to build confidence, wellbeing, and opportunity
Our main priority is prevention.
We work to reduce:
Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and
County Lines Exploitation
Futures Pathway School
Future Pathways School for Girls and LGBTQ+ Youth is a specialist, mentoring-led alternative provision programme designed to support young people who are unable to fully engage in mainstream education and require a more nurturing, personalised and trauma-informed environment.
The provision supports girls, trans girls and LGBTQ+ young people, including those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), with a focus on re-engagement, wellbeing and progression.
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Founders
Story
Krystal Parkins
I was born in 1985 at Whittington Hospital in Islington to a mother struggling with substance misuse. At just six weeks old, I was placed into the care of my grandparents and raised in Downham, Lewisham. When my grandfather passed away at five, I was raised by my white grandmother, who loved me deeply, but I often struggled with my identity as a Black girl without cultural guidance. School wasn’t a safe space either. I experienced bullying, sexual abuse, and was exposed to crime from a young age. As a teenager, I faced violence, exploitation, and was later arrested at 18. By my late teens and early twenties, I was dealing with trauma, low self-worth, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. At 17, I was diagnosed with vitiligo, which deeply affected my confidence. I experienced further sexual violence and found myself trying to survive rather than truly live. In my twenties, I reconnected with my biological family, which brought both healing and new questions about who I was. At 28, while pregnant, I lost my grandmother, the woman who raised me, just days before giving birth to my daughter. I was in an emotionally abusive relationship and later realised I was experiencing postnatal depression, though I didn’t have the space to process it at the time. In my thirties, I began embracing my true self, including my identity and my voice. That journey of self-acceptance, healing, and reflection led me to a powerful realisation: I wanted to be the support I never had. Why I Founded Proud to Be Me CIC Proud to Be Me CIC was created from lived experience. It’s a space for young people, especially those who are marginalised, overlooked, or misunderstood, to feel seen, safe, and empowered. Everything I went through, trauma, identity struggles, exploitation, now fuels my purpose. I do this work so that no young person has to navigate those challenges alone. My story isn’t just about survival—it’s about transformation. And it’s proof that no matter where you start, healing and growth are possible.
National Data
Hub
This means we can now provide free SIM cards and mobile data to those most in need across Lewisham and South London. Think of it like a “food bank for data” – making sure no one is left behind because they can’t afford to get online. Please scan the qr code above and complete the application form
Hygiene & Wellbeing
Support
We also provide free hygiene and wellbeing products for young women, girls, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. If you are in need of support, you are welcome to visit our office where a member of our team can provide support, guidance, and access to essential items in a safe and welcoming environment.
Email for more information
Digital Help Hub
We offer digital and IT support for young people, helping them navigate the online world safely and confidently. Whether you need support with devices, online forms, digital skills, accessing services, staying safe online, or general technology issues, our team is here to provide practical support and guidance in a safe and supportive environment.
Email for more information
Partners & Funders
