Managing Director, Roots 4 Business Ltd | Co-Director, TEDC | Founder of KeyChain

Growing business and people from the roots up.

I’m Sarah Jane Black, Managing Director of Roots 4 Business Ltd and Co-Director of TEDC. With over 35 years in management and 18 years as a qualified teacher and Internal Quality Assurer (IQA), my work focuses on helping people and organisations grow through education, compliance, and development.

My career began with Skills Training UK, managing more than 25 training centres across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, and West Sussex. These centres supported hard-to-reach communities to build confidence, gain transferable skills, and move into sustainable employment.

A defining moment in my journey was co-developing and delivering a mentoring programme for life-sentenced prisoners at HMP Kingston, Portsmouth, with Catch22. Focused on rehabilitation and reducing reoffending through engagement and peer mentoring, it contributed to a 43% fall in youth reoffending across Hampshire — a legacy that continues to inspire my work.

Through Roots 4 Business, I now support SMEs and community organisations to strengthen their operations through compliance systems, ISO frameworks, and effective health and safety practices. My work with TEDC extends this by delivering transformative education and personal development that empowers people to reach their potential.

As the Founder and Creator of KeyChain, I designed a rehabilitation and personal growth programme for individuals rebuilding life after incarceration. KeyChain bridges the gap between institutional life and reintegration, combining mindset training, resilience, and life skills.  Keychain, has now been adapted for 7-11 year olds, Youth 11 -18.  

Driven by compassion and authenticity, I believe everyone deserves the tools and support to start again. Whether through business transformation or personal recovery, my mission remains simple — to grow people and organisations from the roots up.