In 2020, amid the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 lockdown, Stephen Akinsanya took a remarkable step by establishing a charity dedicated to impacting young people’s lives through mentoring and the real-world education of those at risk of not realizing their full potential in life.
What inspired you to start Life of Focus ?
My youth work began over 20 years ago when I took on the role as a Sunday school teacher at Croydon Community Church. I always had a passion for empowering the not so confident and less focused in the group and this enabled me to build dialogue and trust and mutual respect. I have also worked closely with Urban Synergy Mentoring for over 10 years as an ambassador and mentor.
My passion has intensified as a defence barrister representing young people, many aged 12 to 25 charged with murder and drug offences. The drama and intensity of the court room coupled with the unspoken fear of a murder trial is a message I’m keen for all young people to hear and to signpost and encourage them to make better choices. My belief in the principle that, ‘Every young person has a gift waiting to be unearthed’ is the driving force and passion to mentor. Unfulfilled potential in a graveyard or behind prison bars for many years are the realities of the choice to carry a knife or become involved in serious violent crime. Unfulfilled lives ruined through these decisions and actions.
Can you describe the mission and vision of your organization?
My mission and vision are to educate young people, communities about the true reality of engaging in the criminal justice system and the impact not just personally but the wider circle. I want young people to have a sense of purpose through viable choices that divert them away from wrong choices and to lead truly fulfilled long lives.
What specific problem are you aiming to solve, and why did you choose this cause?
Youth violence is complex, but one aspect is a lack of hope, personal identity and self-leadership, leading young people to make life changing decisions. Many of whom have not experienced many of the beautiful things in life. I believe that giving hope to those who feel hopeless and supporting them through mentorship and signposting will allow them to make better choices about their future. Seeing young men dead that could quite easily be my own sons was a huge motivating factor.
How did you get started? What was the first step you took in setting up the charity?
In 2020 I established my social enterprise mentoring platform called ‘Life of Focus’. This was during lockdown, and I was concerned about young people being drawn into serious offending at a challenging time for all. This very quickly gave birth to ‘Life in Focus’. The original idea was to have a studio chat show and audience with various guests from the legal profession, police and community to discuss and find solutions to those issues affecting young people. The show became an online weekly broadcast. My motto for the platform is to ‘educate, inform and inspire’. I have hosted dover 70 shows to date.
Can you share a success story that highlights the impact of your work?
My very first mentee was a young boy of 13 who was growing up in a difficult part of London with distractions and influences despite coming from a good single parent home. I agreed to mentor him, and he eventually studied a law degree after not pursuing a dream of becoming a footballer. He now is in his early 40’s, a father and holding a very responsible job in the banking and finance sector. I am regularly approached by people telling me that my messages changed their lives through making different and better choices.
What are your short-term and long-term goals for the charity?
My short-term goal is to continue sharing the realities of wrong choices with young people by giving them a better understanding of the criminal justice system, through court visits, meeting lawyers and Judges. This also allows them to be inspired to enter the legal profession. My long-term goal is to have my animations and videos included in school curriculums across the country and to secure funding
What has been the most rewarding aspect of running this charity?
Seeing the number of people on social media who watch my talks and videos and share it with young people. The message has to affect a young person somewhere, who I shall most probably never get to meet. The encouragement from my peers and communities is a driving factor to continue.
What have you learned personally from this experience?
I will never really know the true impact of this work, but I should not be deterred from doing the work. Just doing the professional work is not enough for me, prevention is an important motivation foe aside from defending in a courtroom.
Who or what inspires you in your work?
My faith plays a significant role in my work, wanting people, particularly the young, to realise their true potential. I believe ‘Every young person has a gift waiting to be unearthed’. I was that 12-year-old boy who was inspired to become a barrister through a television show.
What keeps you motivated during challenging times?
I am a destiny person, by that I mean, I truly believe I have a specific assignment to fulfil and no matter the setback and challenges my task is to complete it before my time on the stage is no more.
