Mayor Boris Johnson announces Ł700,000 funding for anti-crime youth projects

Press Release

Mayor Boris Johnson announces Ł700,000 funding for anti-crime youth projects
29-7-2008 393

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today announced £700,000 new funding for three youth projects steering young people away from gun and knife crime in London. The Mayor made the announcement while visiting the Brixton Road Youth Centre, which is successfully managed by young people.

‘Calling the Shots’ run by the From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation and ‘Watch Over Me’ run by the Kids Task Force are both aimed at tackling gun and knife crime through targeted educational programmes and guidance for young Londoners. The third project is also a Kids Task Force initiative designed to teach seven to eleven year olds about personal behaviour, crime and safety.

Mayor Boris Johnson said

‘These projects are perfect examples of the youth initiatives we desperately need across London to engage young people. They offer guidance, information and most importantly steer young people away from the lure of gangs and criminal activity.

‘Tackling youth crime is complex and there are no magic solutions but I am determined to make London a safer city for everyone, including young people, who are frequently victims of crime.

‘As well as more targeted policing efforts, to combat these issues we need strong community projects, which are relevant and interesting to young people and schemes that widen their horizons as well as raise their aspirations.’

‘Calling the Shots’ will receive £200,000 funding over one year for its work with 16-19 year olds who are at risk of becoming involved in youth violence.
‘Watch Over Me’ is a project aimed at teenagers that uses educational DVDs and teaching materials in schools, youth groups and community groups to raise the issues of gun crime, drugs, knives and general safety. It will receive £110,000.
The Kids Task Force ‘Miss Dorothy.com’ primary school initiative will receive £400,000 for work with schools from 2008-09.

All projects will be funded by the Metropolitan Police as part of their commitment in partnership with the Mayor of London to cut crime and make London safer for young people.

Ends.

Notes to Editors

1. Calling the Shots - the project has been piloted with selected groups in Newham, Enfield, Croydon, Hackney, Southwark, Greenwich, Brent, Haringey boroughs since 2005 and, from September 2008, will be rolled out to groups at high risk of involvement in serious youth violence in London. For further information contact Uanu Seshmi: 07980 447 612.

2. Watch Over Me is a project aimed at teenagers using an educational DVD to raise the issues of gun crime, drugs, knives and general safety. The programme delivers learning through the medium of a DVD soap opera, which was developed in partnership with the Youth Theatre of Great Britain. For further information visit www.thekidstaskforce.com or contact Claire Britcher: 0774 0217099.

3. The Missdorothy.com primary school learning programme is a tool designed to teach seven to eleven year olds about personal behaviour and safety. It tackles behavioural issues including bullying, crime and disorder, social inclusion, racism and good citizenship. The programme delivers learning through the medium of a web site cartoon character – Miss Dorothy Com. She teaches children their human rights – that we all have the right to feel safe, others have the right to feel safe with us and there is nothing so awful or so small that you cannot tell someone. The programme combines a high-quality workbook with an interactive web site and a special stage play reinforcing key safety messages. For further information visit www.thekidstaskforce.com or contact Claire Britcher: 0774 0217099.

4. Brixton Road Youth Centre
The Vassal Youth Centre closed down in 2007 due to mismanagement by adults. Young people in the area wanted to re-open the premises and make sure there was something for young people to do in the area (vassal is one of the most deprived wards in the country). The council and local partners helped them establish BRYC. Following their AGM in May 2008 the organisation became the first where young people successfully took over the management of an organisation from adults and secured funding. Twenty-five people run the organisation and have secured funding from the Youth Opportunities Fund to refurbish the premises, make it DDA compliant and help the borough’s biggest disability charity move into the premises.

Recent activities include:
· Electing young people to all the executive positions (the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer) of the organisation at its AGM.
· Secured funding for a girls talk club, football coaching sessions
· Work on a youth exchange project with an American organisation that will take place in the Autumn of 2008
· Running successful holiday schemes
· Established a partnership working with the Safer Neighbourhoods Team. Representatives from the Police sit on the management committee
· The Secretary of BRYC was successful in securing a place on an international leadership programme for young people (16-18). Five young people from London were given the opportunity to go to Washington for one week with 230 American delegates and are now undertaking a six-week paid work experience with 'business in the community', a project sponsored by the Bank of America with the aim of developing community leaders.

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