The Hackney Pirates is an enterprising charity based in Hackney, which has been supported by Bootstrap Company since it started in 2010. We develop the literacy and creativity of young people in Hackney, so that they achieve both in school and in the world beyond. Bootstrap have been supporting this educational start up since the summer of 2010.  

What we think

The Hackney Pirates believe that education should be a great adventure! We think that one to one attention is one of the most powerful educational tools in the world. We think that having a grown up sitting next to you caring about every word you say can make a critical difference to how well you do in school. So we use the brilliant, creative and caring people of Hackney to provide the extra minutes, hours and days of attention that will make a real difference to the lives of the young people who live in our area.

How we do it

We work with young people after school in our centre in Hackney. We support young people by giving them one-to-one attention in a weird and wonderful out-of-school learning environment. It’s a fun space where young people can get some extra help on their homework and literacy. And we also get young people working on making professionally produced creative products (like books and CDs) alongside talented creative professionals, because we think that everyone learns best when they can see the outcome of their work being valued by other people. We sell the great products they make at our events and soon in our own online shop.

If you are interested in volunteering, making a donation, or finding more information, please get in touch here   

If you can commit at least one afternoon per month to supporting children in their learning, please join us as a Pirate volunteer. Every weekday our wonderful, unconventional learning centre in Hackney is open to 9-12 year olds from the local area who come for one-to-one support from committed Pirate Volunteers.

As a volunteer you will support the Young Pirates with homework, reading and developing real, saleable products designed and produced under the guidance of creative professionals. These have included websites, graphic novels, a video game app and a music video.