About
Who Are We?
Krunch is a young people focused registered charity with a broad, generous and inclusive Christian ethos. We work with young people across Sandwell and the wider Black Country.
Krunch is a community facing organisation that welcomes and values people from all faiths and none and invites all those who encounter Krunch to experience a sense of belonging.
Krunch was established in September 1999 by Jon Grant who responded to a lack of positive activities for young people within the local Brandhall community, in Oldbury, West Midlands, UK. As a local church youth worker, Jon along with a team of volunteers, set up two evening youth clubs and began delivering lessons and assemblies in the local secondary school, Perryfields High School. He and another youth worker, Penny Baker soon recognised a further daytime need in their community and Penny began supporting a small group of teenagers experiencing social and emotional difficulties and whose behaviours were preventing them from attending education.
Their approach based on love, grace and acceptance engaged these young people in a new way. This was noticed by Perryfields and Sandwell education authority, both of whom invested in the project. Krunch began delivering personalised mentoring and creatively engaged participants in alternative education. The focus placed by the youth workers on understanding the individualised needs and learning styles of the young people was attractive and increased their school attendance.
From humble beginnings in one room, Krunch now operates out of premises based in Oldbury and we have an established and experienced staff team supporting young people via one to one mentoring and small group work during the school day and beyond it. We aim to empower young people to reach their potential, improve their emotional health and well being and reduced barriers to education, employment and training.
Krunch now provides a range of services focussed around our accredited Personal Development and Life Skills programme and we work with children and young people aged 9-19 years.