Youff against the riots

[ecuworrier]

...after the event...

Peace Direct - an organisation that has a peace mission worldwide has a london project (well that says it all)

EAST END YOUTH AGAINST THE RIOTS
 

"It's time that the many decent youths in London make a bold mark of rememberance upon society. We need to show that community still exists, that education is paramount, and that violence is intolerable. " 
- Korede, Truce participant, 18 years old.   
   

Dear ?

Like most Londoners, I have been watching in disbelief how quickly the riots spread across London on Monday night, and how careless the young people became about the neighbourhoods and the communities where they live.


In recent years, I have been privileged to work with young people in the Truce 20/20 youth project  funded by Peace Direct and Conflict and Change. Newham is one of the most deprived and diverse areas of London. The personal journeys I have witnessed in young people's lives, despite their heart breaking backgrounds, have left me speechless and humbled over and over again. When we tapped into their personal potential, which was screaming to get out, the result has been a movement of committed and determined young people, able to pass on their new skills and inspire over 2,500 other young people in the past two years alone.

 

And not all young people were rioting. Those with whom I've worked over the past few years have stood up to peer pressure and ridiculed the actions of the troublemakers. While other young people were mobilising their friends to join them on the streets, the Truce young people were voicing their frustrations and motivating their friends to stay at home. Positive messages about rebuilding stronger communities, about the need to act as positive role models, and that violence is intolerable, kept popping up on the Facebook updates of the Truce graduates.

 

"These riots have no cause - it is needless vandalism and violence. These rioters are damaging their communities, and hitting out at the ordinary people who have everything to lose. Youths in Syria risk their lives to peacefully protest for democracy and freedom of speech - what are these rioters there for? Please spread the word- these riots are NOT the way forward. Damaging yourselves and your community is not the way to air out your frustrations with the system."

 - Narjas, Truce participant 19 years old.

 

There were many who were able to clearly articulate their grievances about the powers of authorities, the lack of facilities for young people, the low prospects for employment and the problem of tuition fees. But whilst these grievances may be real and complex, the young people knew very well that violence is not going to resolve these underlying issues.

Drawing on feedback from our young people over the years, the message is clear -  there has been a lack of positive role models, or people who they can look up to. This was demonstrated in the inability of some parents to get their rebellious offspring home. The recent wave of closures of youth centres and of initiatives that provide young people with meaningful opportunities, as a result of recent drastic cuts in youth provision, didn't help either.

I'm not excusing the greed-driven behaviour that takes to the streets and helps itself to the latest designer and electronic goods. But in my opinion, this is a manifestation of broader structural inequalities. The challenge for the policymakers, in the short term, is to bring security back to the streets of London and other cities. But for the long term we must ensure that the causal drivers of this violence are understood and addressed.

I have been at the frontline of working with hard-to-reach young people, and witnessed real positive differences in behaviour of individuals after taking part in our programme. This has left me with nothing but conviction that youth initiatives which equip young people with skills that help to divert from anti-social patterns of behaviour and make positive choices about the direction of their lives, are one of the answers to the current challenges we face in our UK communities.

Positive messages and invitations to clean up the streets of Newham have been bouncing amongst the Truce graduates through Facebook since Tuesday. Their first brainstorming session, on how to 'do our bit' in the community, has already taken place.


Watch this space: the riots will go, but the Truce young people are
here to stay.

 

Klaudia Brezna
Truce 20/20 Project Manager
 

GOD BLESS!

Peace and Love,