About us

When passion meets precision

 

Our Story

Kai McGinley was more than just a name. He was a young man with depth, with talent, with a fire for music and a heart that wanted better. Kai was working to change his life, to rewrite a story that too many young people are handed before they have a chance to grow. But his life was cut short by violence — senseless and devastating.

Kai’s Art Beats Foundation was created in his memory — not just to honour who he was, but to fight for every person like him who still deserves a second chance. Every beat we create, every project we deliver, is a heartbeat for Kai — and for the countless others who feel unseen, unheard, and unprotected.

Our Mission

We exist to support young people and adults aged 4 to 40 who are affected by trauma, poverty, exclusion, or violence. Through creative arts, trauma-informed care, and community healing, we aim to spark change — not just in individuals, but in systems. We believe that creativity is a powerful form of resistance, regulation, and rebuilding.

What Makes Us Different

- We are grassroots and led by lived experience — this isn’t theory, it’s personal.
- We blend mental health sensitivity with real-world creativity and second chances.
- We prioritise ethical practice: transparent policies, safe delivery, and consent-led methods.
- We support participants with complex needs — including those affected by crime, grief, neurodivergence, or custody.
- We don’t follow a template — we create new models, like SRCP and our rescue dog video bonding projects.
- We don't just run programmes — we build legacy.

Who We Work With

Our foundation collaborates with youth organisations, local creatives, dog rescues, and families who’ve experienced loss or exclusion. We serve children, teens, and adults who have been through more than most, offering them space to create, connect, and reclaim their stories. Working currently in the areas of SE15, SE5, SE17, SE16 and others surrounding southwark areas. 

Our Vision

Our goal is to grow a creative movement that offers healing, hope, and justice. We’re working toward a future that includes a mobile studio van to reach isolated communities, more trauma-informed creative toolkits like SRCP, and deeper partnerships with organisations committed to real change. Everything we build, we build from the heart — and we build it for Kai.

"I never imagined I’d be starting a charity. I just knew I couldn’t let my brother’s story end with silence.
Kai was full of music, creativity, and struggle. He wanted more — and he was working to get it. When he was taken by violence, a part of me broke… but another part refused to sit still.
This foundation isn’t about pretending to fix everything. It’s about giving other young people what Kai needed: a way to be seen, to heal, to be heard, and to belong. I built this with no big backing — just grief, fire, and belief.
If you’re reading this, thank you. Every beat, every story, every second chance — it all means something. I do this for Kai, and for everyone like him."
— Jaime McGinley, Founder

"Losing Kai changed everything. No mother should have to write something like this — not for a website, not for a charity. But here I am, because I believe his story still matters. I believe it has more to say.
Kai was creative, sensitive, and full of love. Like so many young people, he was trying to find his place in a world that doesn’t always make room for those who struggle. He deserved better — and so do the young people we now support in his name.
I’m proud to chair this foundation with my daughter, who has poured everything into making this real and am thankful for the dedicated professionals and volunteers that help make our work possible at this early stage. We’ve turned pain into purpose, and heartbreak into hope. If you support this work, you’re helping us keep Kai’s spirit alive — not just in memory, but in action."

Thank you.
— Kai’s Mum, Lena McGinley, Chair of Trustees