Introduction

Black Tennis Mentors UK CIC (BTM) is an award-winning community organisation dedicated to increasing access, representation, and opportunity within tennis. Founded to address long-standing inequalities in the sport, BTM uses tennis as a powerful tool for personal development, education, and social change.

Through inclusive coaching programmes, structured mentoring, community engagement, and workforce development pathways, BTM supports children, young people, adults, and aspiring coaches from underrepresented backgrounds. Our work goes beyond participation — we focus on creating long-term pathways that lead to confidence, leadership, employment, and lasting impact within tennis and the wider sport sector.

Founders

Arum Akom

Head Coach at the Butterfly Tennis Club

Arum Akom is a tennis player, coach, mentor, and entrepreneur from south-east London. Arum has created his own concept called ‘Project AA’, in which his goal involves using sports to show children and young people that you can ‘Accomplish Anything’ in life. With a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Coaching and a Masters in Sports Management, Arum takes great pride and pleasure in applying all the theoretical concepts he learned during his degrees into practice!

Arum has several projects he is working on, all geared towards promoting diversity and inclusion. Arum has received numerous awards for his contributions to the sport and is driven to use his knowledge and lived experiences to mentor others to do the same.

"This is where the Black Tennis Mentors come in!".

Jabilayh Asante

Client Services at Fidelity International

Jabilayh Asante regards herself as one who wears many hats. Professional, creative, socialite, traveller, but her most cherished title, tennis player. Jabilayh had the pleasure of growing up in the heart beat of the sport, Florida, and immersing in all areas of tennis. Her performance and dedication to the sport was recognised as she received a scholarship to a prestigious private university called Allegheny College, located in Pennsylvania. Her tennis career ended once she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She has now re-entered the sport as a mentor and resource.

Jabilayh has experienced the tennis life first hand and knows the demands of a great player! She is confident she has the tools, experience and knowledge to assist in the development of future leaders. Most importantly, she loves the sport with her whole heart which shows both on and off of the court.

“I treat each day like a match, I give my all every day, every point, every set, every game!”.

Mission and Objectives

Black Tennis Mentors UK CIC exists to create a more inclusive and representative tennis landscape, where individuals from Black and underrepresented communities have equal access to opportunities, visible role models, and clear pathways to thrive both on and off the court.

Our mission is to break down barriers to participation through high-quality coaching, structured mentoring, bursaries, and workforce development programmes that support lifelong engagement in tennis. By working in partnership with communities, schools, clubs, and governing bodies, we aim to empower the next generation of players, coaches, and leaders while building a sustainable legacy of opportunity, education, and social impact through sport.