Tackling youth violence

Adjournment debate on youth violence

Tuesday 21st October 2008

Simon held a well attended Westminster Hall debate on youth violence in Greater London. Alan Campbell, the Home Office minister, was present along with several other London MPs also speaking up on the need for action.

Simon revealed the true scope of the problem highlighting figures which show that 30% of London's young people have been affected by violence or the threat of violence. With so many young people fearing for their safety, urgent action is needed to prevent weapon possession from snowballing.

However Simon urged caution in approaching the problem, reminding the minister that only 1% of young Londoners have ever been involved in violent incidents and that the overwhelming majority of our young people are "good, upright, law-abiding, well behaved people".

With this optimism for London's young people and their communities, Simon recognised the importance of education and youth engagment as the most effective way to address youth violence. He urged the minister to listen to young voices and to seek collaboration with community organisations and volunteers.

Simon concluded by presenting the minister with a shopping list drawn from the experience of people already doing good work in North Southwark and Bermondsey.

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Simon's shopping list for the minister:

• Communities to support parents and families

• Support for schools offering clubs before and after school

• Minimise school exclusions

• Develop evening and weekend youth services

• Develop mentoring projects starting at age 10

• Campaign to deglamorise gangs

• A youth worker who is independent from the police in every London ward

• Increase protective measures for witnesses

Simon played a leading role in launching Enough! a campaign to 'Make Youth Violence History'. The Enough! project is focussed initially on south London: bringing together organisations already working within the communities of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham to tackle youth violence.

It is driven by a belief that with support and cooperation, it is individuals and organisations within the communities themselves that are best placed to steer young people away from the culture of violence.

Simon believes that "We must tackle gun and knife crime by building up grassroots organisations. Many effective organisations already exist. They are doing fantastic work with young people. To tackle youth violence we must not spend time reinventing the wheel, but unleash the potential of good organisations which already exist. They in turn can unlock the talents of London's young people and lead them away from violent lives, and too often, violent deaths."

Enough! are appealing for hundreds of Londoners to form a new 'volunteer army' to reinforce and extend the work of London's existing community organisations working with young people.

If you feel that you have something to offer this cause, please email info@enoughlondon.com for information about how you can get involved.

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Inspired by young people, and the friends and families of victims, Enough! aims to:

• Bolster support for existing community organisations

• Inspire new volunteers to work to end youth violence

• Secure funding from central and local government, charities, companies and individuals

• Keep the danger of youth violence on the agenda and promote positive images of young people