Gideon Buabeng is a nationally recognised transformational speaker and youth intervention specialist. Having experienced youth violence and systemic adversity, Gideon rebuilt his life to become a powerful and credible voice on resilience, identity, and human behaviour. His work sits at the intersection of community and institution, bridging lived experience with leadership, and translating complex social realities into actionable insight for organisations. In 2020, Gideon founded Our Pain 2 Power to provide alternative learning programmes and workshops that reduce youth violence and build confidence, self-worth, and employability skills. Known for his raw honesty, emotional intelligence, and ability to challenge perspectives, Gideon delivers high-impact keynotes that move beyond motivation, equipping audiences with practical tools to understand behaviour, build resilience, and lead with authenticity.
In 2017, Gideon worked as a Student Mentor at Valor Youth, where he developed experience in mentoring vulnerable young people, supporting SEN students and delivering extra-curricular activities to promote learning, good behaviour and well-being. From there, Gideon continued working closely with the youth, serving as a mentor and social media manager at 4Front Project and a youth worker at Personal Independence. In 2018, Gideon was appointed as a Young Ambassador for The Prince's Trust, where he continued to advocate for youth development and violence prevention. As part of this, he was invited to speak at a charity event hosted by the Prince of Monaco. For his outstanding dedication to helping young people escape from gang culture, Gideon won the London and South East Watches of Switzerland Group Young Ambassador of the Year Award. That same year, he also won the Prince’s Trust Young Ambassador of the Year Award.
As part of Our Pain 2 Power, Gideon is frequently invited to deliver impactful and engaging workshops to school children, and recently partnered with Braids Gang to host a self-Love and confidence workshop for teenage girls. He also works in close partnership with institutions including the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and The King’s Trust. Gideon has shared his story and work with several major publications, including the BBC, Evening Standard, Sky News, The Telegraph and Mail Online. He has additionally been included in high-profile campaigns focused on youth empowerment and social change, and was selected as a speaker in a national youth campaign led by Idris Elba. For his continued work, Gideon has also been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the Community Group of the Year at The Empowerment Awards and was a finalist for the Grass Roots Excellence Award at the CGT Awards.
Gideon Buabeng is a leading voice in youth violence prevention and support, and is dedicated to helping individuals and organisations turn adversity into strength, and create environments where people are seen, supported, and able to thrive. His core areas of focus include resilience, boundaries and self-worth, men’s mental health, youth violence prevention, diversity and inclusion, and the role of human connection in leadership and culture. Able to adapt to a range of events and formats, Gideon provides engaging keynotes and workshops for corporate, education and public sector audiences. To hire Gideon, contact Champions today!
Gideon Buabeng's official speaking topics are listed below:
Turning Pain Into Power
Gideon’s signature keynote is a powerful and transformative experience that takes audiences beyond motivation and into meaningful, lasting change. Drawing from lived experience and years of frontline work, Gideon explores how adversity shapes identity, behaviour, and decision-making — and how individuals can take ownership of their story to create growth, purpose, and impact. Best For: All audiences — corporate, public sector, education, and conferences
Key Outcomes:
• Reframing adversity into opportunity
• Building identity, self-worth, and purpose
• Taking ownership of personal and professional growth
• Leading with authenticity and resilience
Being Nice Nearly Got Me Killed
A bold, standout keynote that challenges the belief that being “nice” is always a strength. Gideon explores how people-pleasing, lack of boundaries, and fear of conflict can lead to burnout, poor decision-making, and personal risk — both in life and leadership. Best For: Leadership teams, HR, high-performance environments
Key Outcomes:
• Setting boundaries without guilt
• Recognising unhealthy dynamics and manipulation
• Understanding self-worth in leadership
• Protecting energy, time, and well-being
From Survival to Strength
This keynote redefines resilience beyond the buzzword. Gideon explores how individuals perform under pressure, navigate adversity, and build strength without losing themselves in high-stakes environments. Best For: Corporate teams, leadership programmes, high-pressure industries
Key Outcomes:
• Practical resilience frameworks
• Performing under pressure with clarity
• Emotional awareness vs suppression
• Staying grounded in challenging environments
Human Connection in Leadership
In a fast-paced and increasingly disconnected world, Gideon explores how human connection is the foundation of strong leadership, effective teams, and high-performing cultures. Best For: Leadership, management teams, organisational culture development
Key Outcomes:
• Building trust and psychological safety
• Leading with emotional intelligence and awareness
• Improving communication and engagement
• Creating stronger, more connected teams
Understanding Behaviour
What Youth Violence Teaches Us About Society, Culture & Leadership. A powerful and rare insight into the root causes of behaviour — from trauma and environment to identity and decision-making. Drawing from frontline experience, Gideon helps organisations understand how the realities of youth violence and social challenges directly connect to behaviour in wider society — including the workplace. Best For: Public sector, education, corporate organisations, CSR and leadership teams
Key Outcomes:
• Understanding the root drivers of behaviour
• How trauma shapes decision-making
• Early intervention and prevention thinking
• Applying behavioural insight to leadership and culture
The Future Workforce
Understanding the Next Generation. Gideon brings real, frontline insight into the mindset, challenges, and realities facing young people today — helping organisations better understand, engage, and support the next generation of talent. Best For: Corporate organisations, early careers teams, education partners, policy and strategy leaders
Key Outcomes:
• What young people are really facing today
• How environment shapes mindset and ambition
• Bridging generational gaps in the workplace
• Engaging and supporting future talent effectively
Beyond the Buzzwords
Why Most DEI Strategies Fail — And What Actually Works. A refreshing and honest perspective on diversity, equity, and inclusion — grounded in lived experience rather than theory. Gideon challenges performative approaches to DEI and offers a deeper understanding of how organisations can create genuine inclusion, connection, and cultural change. Best For: Corporate organisations, leadership teams, DEI initiatives
Key Outcomes:
• Understanding lived experience beyond surface-level diversity
• Building authentic inclusion and belonging
• Moving from performative to impactful DEI
• Strengthening culture, trust, and performance
Men’s Mental Health
Breaking Silence, Rebuilding Identity. An honest and impactful talk exploring the realities of men’s mental health, emotional suppression, and identity in today’s world.
Key Outcomes:
• Understanding barriers to emotional expression
• The link between mental health, behaviour, and identity
• Creating psychologically safe environments
• Supporting men within teams and communities
- 2026 - Nominated for the Community Group of the Year at The Empowerment Awards
- 2026 - Pain 2 Power CIC x Braids Gang delivered a Self-Love & Confidence Workshop
- 2025 - Grass Roots Excellence Award Finalist at the CGT Awards
- 2023 - Finalist for the Rising Star of the Year award at the Black Talent Awards
- 2020 - Founded Our Pain 2 Power
- 2022 - Manager at Sporting Chances
- 2019 - Won the Prince’s Trust Young Ambassador of the Year Award
- 2019 - Won the London and South East Watches of Switzerland Group Young Ambassador of the Year
- 2019 - Youth Specialist at Sporting Chances
- 2018 - Young Ambassador for The Prince's Trust
- 2018 - Youth Worker at Personal Independence
- 2018 - Mentor/Social Media Manager at 4Front Project
- 2017 - Student Mentor at Valor Youth
How to hire Gideon Buabeng
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Gideon Buabeng for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
