Only Connect

About Only Connect

Only Connect has one vision but many missions. The group vision is:

“We see prisoners, ex-offenders and young people at risk of crime becoming assets, not liabilities for London: using their talents to help both themselves and the community. Instead of costing society – financially and emotionally – by committing crime, they create social value through their participation in positive projects and activities. In doing this, they discover their own potential and realise their personal dreams.”

We are a group of crime prevention programmes working across the capital:

OC Central: the King’s Cross private members’ club for prisoners, ex-offenders and youth at risk

OC Impact: the crime prevention project for London schools and youth centres

OC Create: the arts company producing work inspired and performed by ex-offenders and youth at risk

My Gen: the youth and ex-offender project in north Kensington

Our track record

Independent research from New Philanthropy Capital shows that OC has a significant impact on crime in London. As their report states, "Only Connect more than halves expected rates of re-offending, from an estimated 57.5% without the charity to 25.9% with the charity."

On the basis of the £145,000 average cost of an ex-prisoner re-offending, our work so far has helped save the taxpayer £3.2 million. This is in addition to our work preventing crime among young people at risk, and OC's wider impact on members' families and communities.

Former Justice Secretary the Rt Hon Ken Clarke QC MP says: "Only Connect's track record is hugely impressive. I am delighted to endorse their work in turning offenders' lives around and cutting crime."