Sabrina Dennis
With a passion for supporting families, children, and young people, Sabrina Dennis has made a name for herself as a specialist in community engagement with over 15 years’ experience.
Through First Class Foundation, Sabrina, and her husband and fellow co-founder Nathan, actively challenge the over-representation of black and Asian young people in the criminal justice sector and help to connect young people aged 13-25 to their purpose by introducing them to new opportunities.
First Class Foundation was built with the main aim of addressing the over-representation of black and Asian people in the criminal justice sector, particularly young people aged 13-25.
It is highly contested that those in the black and Asian communities suffer disproportionately in the criminal justice system in particular, but statistics tell the full story. Between 2020 and 2021, people who identified as black or black British were arrested at a rate over three times higher than those who identified themselves as white. This is a statistic that follows a pattern of previous years.
The aim of First Class Foundation is to combat this inequality but also to try and offer young people in the community new opportunities through our support within six key pillars; business and enterprise, criminal justice, politics, family, health and education.
I actually got into the industry by chance. In 2011, my husband sadly lost funding for a small social enterprise that he was running. At the time, I was a mother of two young children and was training to become a science teacher, which itself was out of convenience rather than passion. Nathan, my husband, asked me to join him in setting up a new company – now our charity – and I actually declined the first time around!
I thought on it a little more and realised that I had valuable skills that would be useful for the job but also that it was something I wanted to do. I love young people and children and have always had a passion for helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives. I guess the rest is history!
Sustainability is always a challenge in the charity sector and something we really try to keep in mind, both to meet sustainability plans as well as our long-term plans to adapt to the needs of those we serve.
Another challenge faced by many people in the charity sector comes in the form of grants and funding. We’re so passionate about what we do that a lot of our time is spent on delivering the best possible service, which can lead to a lack of capacity to fundraise further. Additionally, fundraising efforts can be so easily thwarted by something like the recent rise in the cost of living, which we see the effects of first-hand. Wanting so desperately to help people in need across the UK but being unable to do so due to funding cuts and difficulties can be a difficult challenge to navigate.
However, I think that the biggest opportunities within the industry lie in leaving the communities we serve better than we found them. Leaving a smile on someone’s face when they haven’t been happy for a long time; making someone’s life (or even their day) that little bit easier; giving someone hope; are the biggest opportunities in my mind.
I believe in leading from behind – serving the team and stakeholders first. It’s important to me that everyone feels heard, valued, and empowered to contribute their ideas and perspectives. I feel that is how we get the most out of people and, in turn, the bests results.
I try to foster a culture of open communication and learning and recently created a space within the organization called Leaders Lounge. In the Leaders Lounge, team members on any level can ask questions about leadership and learn how to improve their own leadership skills. I think it is crucial – for their own development and for the success of the business – for the team to understand that they are all leaders, whether they have a role or title or not, I always want them to feel empowered.
I also really try to build strong relationships with the team. I take the time to know each person on a deeper level, beyond just their professional role and genuinely care about their well-being. Whether it’s asking about their day or discussing their aspirations, building these connections fosters a more positive and supportive working environment.
Ultimately, I think it is just about creating an inclusive and empowering culture where everyone feels valued, heard, and motivated to contribute their best. By serving the team and cultivating their leadership potential, I believe we can achieve greater success together.
This has been something we have really looked at closely recently. We completed a skills audit for the board and also for the team, looking closely at what they identified as their skills and also what their peers said about them. We realised that many had underused skills because they thought they were not relevant to the role they work in. This gave the team a real boost but also gave us the opportunity to think more broadly about what the team do and what they enjoy, and how we can really make use of that and work it into their individual roles.
We really believe in a holistic approach to work and offer each team member personal therapy, as well as setting targets with a holistic mindset. So, for example, someone might be performing really well but their mental health is suffering as a result of that pressure. We would then try to address that issue and find ways to help them cope or overcome their struggles, hopefully resulting in them being more fulfilled overall.
The fulfilment of the team and effective financial management are, I think, two of the most crucial elements to our business success. The work we do can be mentally challenging but can also turn on a penny – we prioritize the well-being and motivation of our team members and manage our finances wisely to ensure that our business is sustainable both from a business perspective and a people perspective. Additionally, building strong relationships with stakeholders and earning their trust is essential for the success of our charity, without them we wouldn’t be where we are today!
The past 12 months have been a whirlwind of both success and challenges. We have won awards and been recognised by our peers, which has been wonderful, but we’ve also supported families in our local community who have sadly experienced the direct effects of youth violence and the cost-of-living crisis. Whilst we’re so proud and honoured that we are able to help these people, the fact that we are needed is a sad one and something we hope to be able to change one day.
On a personal note, it has been a rollercoaster ride with great success in business and family life on one hand, and the tragic loss of loved ones on the other. Learning to rest has been a new challenge, but one that I am grateful for.
The next 12 months will hopefully be even more successful for the charity, but we also hope to buildour brand as a couple and as business leaders. I know that has the potential to sound selfish maybe, but we really feel that – doing what we do – building our personal brand will hopefully show people how passionate we are and how deeply we care about the cause! When all is said and done, I just hope that the work we have started continues to grow and blossom to be even more meaningful and that we can continue our efforts to leave the world better than we found it.
I’ll also be turning 40 this year which I’m actually looking forward to quite a lot. For me, it is more than just an age – it means more celebrations and more new experiences with family and friends, I can’t wait!
The highlights of my career have been witnessing team members who started as service users become award-winning professionals in their field. Seeing their growth and knowing that I played a part in their journey is truly special.
The biggest mistake I’ve learned is to speak up when I see potential issues or risks. It might make you unpopular to voice your concerns but if you’ve identified an issue that might snowball or cause a further problem down the road, it is important to say something. I think people would rather you try than stay quiet and let standards fall.
A really valuable piece of advice I received was to not underestimate the power of automation and a good set of systems. I’ve made sure we have three essential systems in place – finance systems, a CRM system, and standard operating procedures (SOP) – to keep things ticking over automatically, whilst we do the day-to-day work.
Having these things in place has changed the game completely and really takes the stress out of owning/running a business.
