People

Junior Johnson is the driving force behind the charity. He was inspired to form Young Urbanites by his own background and personal development. He says his life could easily be a case study from a sociology or psychology textbook.

He was born in Paddington, west London to Ghanaian parents and was fostered at the age of six months to a white family in Kent. He grew up with what he describes as an identity crisis and behavioural problems, which led to his exclusion from two schools.

Junior returned to London in his mid-teens to ‘find himself’ and solve his identity issues. However, as a confused and vulnerable young person in a time that was turbulent for black youth in general, he was drawn into south London street-life.

For many years his life and lifestyle were chaotic, yet other young people seemed to find it attractive. Deeply disturbed by this he decided to go to university to study sociology and psychology to make sense of his own life choices, and why so many young males were set to follow the same path.

After completing his degree Junior began voluntary work at a cutting edge young people’s service that offered drug education amongst its provisions. He gained a national drug awareness certificate and acquired a paid post as Training Officer.

He left to co-found Young Urbanites in 2001, designing and delivering its self-development and drug awareness programmes.

Increased personal stability and the desire to have a more active role in the life of his son were behind his decision to leave London and move permanently to Norwich. Junior is now in the process of establishing Young Urbanites as a leading provider of personal development projects for young people.