Experience.

Rickardo has worked with ART AGAINST KNIVES for the past 9 years, he played an influential part in setting up Dollis Dolls Nail Bar, supporting local young females at risk of violent crime and CSE. The project has reached over 500 females since it began. Rickardo's in-depth local knowledge, gift for working with young people, and co-developing + designing our In Our Hands + Creative Spaces Programmes (incl The LAB music studio) in Barnet has been invaluable. His commitment to both ART AGAINST KNIVES and youth provision is commendable.
ART AGAINST KNIVES

An independent Home Office evaluation of the Trusted Relationships programme (of which AAK is a partner) and conducted by the Behavioural Insights Team reported: 

“Co-production, which involves providing young people with opportunities to actively contribute to creating support and spaces based on what they want and need, has been central to AAK’s way of working since inception.”

I have worked with Rickardo Stewart over the last five years as part of a Leadership Programme for the MDes Service Design, Social Innovation, Design Leadership Post-graduate course at Ravensbourne University. Together with Paul Sternberg, Director Design Innovation and Principal. Research Fellow, I have run a leadership programme for the students on this course. A key element of each session centres on an external speaker and we have relied on Rickardo to be the first speaker on all the courses we have run.He is an excellent model of an emotionally intelligent, creative, self-aware and authentic leadership. His storytelling is compelling and his life-experiences, together with how he has tackled serious social justice issues with successful practical approaches has truly inspired the students and set the tone for the rest of the course.
Fiona Dawe CBE | Time To Think Consultant, Vital Space

Working with Rickardo was an incredible experience, through our partnership he transmitted his unique ability to engage, educate and spark curiosity. He has facilitated cross cultural groups and naturally creates an open, safe and condusive environment with his approach. Rickardo's communication style and stkeholder involvement allows for aithentic and deep rooted work to be done; he is a capability accelerator with empathy! It has been a real learning moment for myself and others. This partnership has been long standing and Rickardo has been enagged since the begining; his strategic insight and development have been pivotol to its ongoing success.
Dreem Nkumbula | Head of DE&I and CSR, GUCCI

Rickardo Stewart is a creative, consistent and talented practitioner. He has a rare ability to quickly connect with a wide range of people, establishing how best to form a working relationship, understanding what motivates people and how to hit the ground running by listening and working alongside them to achieve their goals. Rickardo brings energy, enthusiasm and vast knowledge to his work. Rickardo is versatile and able to adapt quickly to respond to the needs of the people he is supporting. We have worked together in a number of settings, including engaging young people on estates, signposting excluded or hard to reach individuals to positive activities, and supporting young people into sustainable employment. Whether Rickardo is working in a pupil referral unit, securing cleaning contracts or designing and delivering high-quality provision in the community, he is always innovative, has an impressive attention to detail, he is able to spot trends and make them relevant to his work. Most importantly, Rickardo is a committed professional who creates positive, energising and thought-provoking, safe spaces for high-risk young people, which is a skill he continues to cultivate and replicate. Rickardo does this effortlessly, but in reality, it is quite the opposite.
Isabel Chapman | Founder + Director, Power To Connect

Having known and worked on many projects with Rickardo for over 10 years, I have seen him grow in both a personal and professional capacity to successfully establishing a recognised and trusted brand in the London Borough of Barnet. I am not a firm believer of groups or individuals that are deemed to be hard to reach, all that's needed is for those providing the support to those they feel need it the most is to have the right methods to reach out harder and Rickardo has and continues to demonstrate these methods through a range of innovative and successful projects. The Barnet Group continues to be proud  of its working relationship with Rickardo in supporting us in ensuring children, young people and those furthest away from the labour market have access to the same opportunities as anyone else. Rickardo is a great role model to others and one that I sincerely recognise as a real community champion.
Tim Blanc | Head of Community Engagement, Barnet Homes / Barnet Group

I have worked with Rickardo since 2012. He has an impressive range of skills including the ability to assess local needs and develop real and practical responses. His project management is focussed and he diligently manages resources to achieve the maximum benefit for the young people he works with. Rickardo has integrity and provides an excellent role model for others. He engages effectively with hard to reach young people as well as with senior managers, politicians and the media.
Karen Walkden | Director, Flourishing Consulting

I’ve known Rickardo Stewart since early 2017 when we were introduced through a teacher at a Pupil Referral Unit he was working in, that I used to study at. I had gone in to speak to some staff and be advised on the best route to take regarding the establishment of my own youth project; coincidently Rickardo was working that day, and they all directed me straight to him with my endless questions. He was and still is very supportive of my goals and mission, supporting where he can and checking in to remind me that if I do ever have a question, query or concern, I can give him a shout. Rickardo was extremely helpful, especially when I first started out and had no idea how to put together an invoice, register a company or structure a workshop - definitely still learning! Rickardo has also directed me towards opportunities that advance both my personal development, and support the growth of my organisation and for that, I am super thankful!
Talia Kensit | CEO, Youth Realities

"It was inspiring to hear direct from a witness about their experiences and journey. He was a great presenter and his story was great to follow. It was great to hear that it can be possible to get a small piece of the pie even if the whole thing is too big for your company."

"It was really useful hearing his perspective on partnering with others orgs and how to make your brand stand out"

"Rickardo was very inspiring with his story and journey."

Testimonials from course participants | Lloyds bank foundation Trading and sustainability programme. School for Social Entrepreneurs

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