Lawrence is free to download right now! 🧑🏾💻
but only for a little while. If you haven’t checked it out yet, now’s the time. It’s moving to our private platform soon. Tap the link above and grab your copy while it’s still open. #lawrenceinteractive
Today was amazing spending some time down with @capitalofficial@thisisheart@smoothradio@lbc stations, talking about Real Direction and @itsonyou_entertainment We spoke on using tech as a new approach to help young people and the journey from self funded tech man from the Endz to being backed and drawing on industry links. I’ll keep you posted if you want to listen in, be apart of their 2.6million daily listeners. - Luke Cato
From Handsworth to the gaming industry… this journey still feels surreal at times.
Yesterday we had a powerful meeting with Dr David Banner MBE from Wales Interactive, one of the biggest FMV publishers, distributors, and developers in the world (as you can see my big grin 😁)To even be sitting in those conversations after starting with It’s On You and Lawrence means a lot.
For the past 6 months we’ve been going back and forth on pitches, concepts, ideas, and what a publishing journey could look like with these guys. The response to the concept we’re building has been powerful, and honestly, it’s exciting to see people at that level believe in the vision.
Can’t say too much yet about what we’re creating, but trust me… what we’re stepping into is different. Something like this reaching PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, and global gaming audiences would be crazy because nothing has really been done like this before in our space.
As one of very few Black FMV game developers in the world, moments like this matter. Not just for us personally, but for representation, for storytelling, and for showing that authentic voices from communities like ours belong on global platforms too.
Still a long road ahead. Still a lot of work to do. But we’re grateful for the support, the guidance, the mentorship, and the belief in what we’re building.
Big respect to Benjamin as well. A lot of people only ever see the end product, but he’s been a major part of this journey behind the scenes from day one.
Soon we’ll be able to make a lot more noise about what’s coming, and when that time comes there’s going to be opportunities for a lot of people.
Changing the narrative through gaming.
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re reflecting on one of the most powerful projects we’ve created at Real Direction, Vivid Lines.
Huge thank you to @ashleybelalchin , @officialreal_artillery all of the actors, creatives, and the wider Real Direction team who helped bring this production to life.
This project was created to reflect real issues young people face every day around mental health, social media pressure, identity, emotional wellbeing, peer influence, and the impact online spaces can have on confidence and decision-making.
Over the past few years, our content has reached 30,000+ young people and practitioners across the UK through schools, Youth Justice Services, probation services, alternative provisions, and frontline organisations. Mad to think a lot of this started from lived experience, an iPad, and the belief that young people deserve education that actually reflects the world they live in.
At Real Direction, we believe authentic storytelling can spark real conversations, support emotional literacy, and help young people feel seen rather than judged.
If you’ve got a lived experience or story that could help educate or support others through media, we’re always open to creating impactful work together.
Big love to everybody involved. We’re just getting started.
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #MentalHealth #YoungPeople #safeguarding
Yesterday we premiered Not My Son at the @westmidlandsvrp Annual Conference.
It’s also five years since we first started working alongside West Midlands VRP. When you actually look and reflect on the journey and how far the work has come, that’s powerful.
Not My Son is a parent resource designed to help parents spot the signs early. Changes in behaviour. Withdrawal. New influences. Patterns that don’t always look obvious at first but can signal something deeper.
The aim is simple. Give parents clarity. Give them confidence. Help them intervene sooner rather than later.
Because safeguarding doesn’t begin when it hits crisis point. It begins at home.
Big appreciation to the team at West Midlands VRP for continuing to back preventative work and for giving projects like this a platform in rooms full of professionals who can take it even further.
Five years in. Still building. Still focused on real impact.
Sat back the other day with my brothers… and yeah, before anyone starts, not blood brothers 😅 but in our world that doesn’t matter. If you’ve built from the mud together, you’re family. Extended family settings.
We were just reflecting on the year and it’s actually mad when you deep it.
Sometimes a post or a highlight reel doesn’t even touch the surface of what’s been done. The partners we’ve worked with. The young people we’ve created with. The rooms we’ve stepped into. The risks we’ve taken. The growth behind the scenes nobody sees.
This little snippet is just a moment of us clocking how far we’ve come.
From two people with a vision… to a growing team. From ideas in notebooks… to real productions and real impact in communities.
And honestly, thank you to everyone who’s supported us. The ones who believed early. The ones who encouraged us. The ones who opened doors. The ones who trusted us with their young people.
We don’t take that lightly.
Next year, God willing, we’re scaling properly.
More reach. More impact. Same heart. Same mission.
We’ve recently wrapped up a powerful project with @westmidlandsvrp , working alongside Pooja Kanda @justiceforronankandacampaign and Mark Brindley @jamesbrindleyfoundation , who have both lost their sons to knife crime. They continue to do incredible work to keep their sons’ names alive, and it’s an honour to see both parents share their stories and speak about their remarkable young men. A huge credit goes to them for their courage and commitment.
The aim of this work is to help educate parents and carers on the signs that are often missed when young people become involved in harmful paths.
As a parent to a teenager myself, I’m learning alongside this process in a constantly changing world, trying not to miss the signs or become complacent. All parents and carers have a responsibility to challenge young people and not be afraid to ask questions, especially when something doesn’t feel right or behaviour seems suspicious.
There are many complex reasons why young people carry knives, but by working together we can better understand those reasons and take steps to prevent harm. Over the year ahead, we will continue creating resources around sensitive and difficult stories, because education and safeguarding are essential.
A final and important thank you to @ashleybelalchin for stepping in as director on one of our most delicate productions. Your care, leadership, and understanding of the subject matter made a real difference.
2025 tested us and carried us at the same time.
Grateful to everyone who backed the vision, opened doors, challenged us, and kept it moving.
We’re building something big this year. Details coming soon.
Purpose already locked in.
If you’ve ever wanted to be part of work that actually means something, stay close. This next chapter isn’t for spectators.
🙏🏾
There looks like there’s something “Cooking” between Real Direction and @fnbmentoringandcoaching … or should I say that they have been “Extolling the Virtues” of this collaboration…” as commented by @steve_fnb from FNB… 👀🔥
From the energy in the room to the depth of the conversations, it’s clear that both teams are building something meaningful, a partnership rooted in purpose, lived experience and community.
Two organisations with shared values.
One unified commitment to helping people move Forwards Not Backwards.
This is more than a partnership, it’s a catalyst.
A merging of leadership, passion and Real Direction that will create real impact for the communities we serve.
Stay tuned.
The best is still cooking. 💜💙
#ForwardsNotBackwards #RealDirection #FNBMentoring #ExtollingTheVirtues #Collaboration #CommunityImpact #YouthEmpowerment #LeadershipInAction #PurposeDrivenWork
SNEAK PEEK ALERT 🚨🍿
The young people at Derby Youth Justice Service have been putting in serious work, and it shows. Their creativity, confidence, and commitment have been next level. 💪✨
Here’s a first look at what they’ve created alongside their brilliant staff team and Real Direction. Powerful stories, genuine voices, and impact that truly hits home. 🎬🎥
Coming soon to our practitioner platform, as part of our ever-growing catalogue of real stories making a real difference. 🌍
