Notes from the Tackling Youth Violence Network, November 2019
13 November 2019
On Wednesday 6th November, our Tackling Youth Violence Network met for their latest meeting, kindly hosted by Haringey Council at the Civic Centre in Haringey. Thank you to all of our speakers, to Zina Etheridge for the welcome on behalf of the London Borough of Haringey, and to Stuart Thomson, one of our trustees and the chair of the network.
The network, which has been running since 2012, is a unique forum in London that regularly brings together youth workers and other specialists involved in front-line youth violence programmes. It’s an opportunity for youth violence professionals to share best practice, to network and partner, and to connect with politicians and policymakers. The network is primarily aimed at London Youth members, but is open to any organisation or statutory service involved or interested in tackling youth violence in London.
You can find:
John Valentine, Partnership Manager – Street Doctors
John, who is the Partnership Manager for Street Doctors, joined us to update the network on their work, new projects and partnership opportunities.
Street Doctors provide safe spaces to explore attitudes to violence, including its true medical consequences. By highlighting the death and significant injury associated with violent crime, they also help to discourage young people from carrying weapons in the first place.
Lynette Charles, CEO – Mind in Haringey
Lynette who is the CEO for Mind in Haringey joined us to update the network on their incredible work they have been doing in the borough, some of which has been in partnership with Haringey Council.
She was then joined by Dr Hannah Stringer who shed light on their long-term intervention project called ‘Project Future’.
Project Future is a community based, youth led mental health project, that seeks to transform mental health delivery for young men aged 16-25, who are involved in offending and serious youth violence in Haringey. We are partners on this project with Barnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS Mental Health Trust and Haringey Council. It is funded by the National Community Lottery Fund and Comic Relief and independently evaluated by the Centre for Mental Health.
Project Future is extremely unique as the service has been co-produced with the young men themselves who are entrenched in cycles of poverty and offending, and who are not able to access regular social services. A critical addition is that the service is run by a team of mental health professionals and specialist youth workers, who share lived experiences of the issues affecting the young men that attend.
Another striking difference between Project Future and other services is that the team can engage a cohort of socially excluded young men that have seldom accessed services.
Get in touch
Look out for the next Tackling Youth Violence Network meeting in February 2020. If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Bristol-Robinson, Membership Development Officer.
