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Job Description and and Person Spec [Download]
Deadline for applications: 21 October 2009
How to make real difference in reducing crime and tackling its causes is always a big debate. Some people think that the best way to stop crime is by introducing CCTV cameras. Recently this debate took place in a local estate and most of the residents opted to install cameras to stop the youth from their ASB and other negative activities (which does include things of the criminal sort). But whats the outcome? Does it really deter people? Does it really work in securing evidences that can be tried in court? Check this article in the BBC today:
1,000 cameras ’solve one crime’
Only one crime was solved by each 1,000 CCTV cameras in London last year, a report into the city’s surveillance network has claimed.
The internal police report found the million-plus cameras in London rarely help catch criminals. In one month CCTV helped capture just eight out of 269 suspected robbers.
David Davis MP, the former shadow home secretary, said: “It should provoke a long overdue rethink on where the crime prevention budget is being spent.” He added: “CCTV leads to massive expense and minimum effectiveness. “It creates a huge intrusion on privacy, yet provides little or no improvement in security.
Nationwide, the government has spent £500m on CCTV cameras.
But Det Sup Michael Michael McNally, who commissioned the report, conceded more needed to be done to make the most of the investment. He said: “CCTV, we recognise, is a really important part of investigation and prevention of crime, so how we retrieve that from the individual CCTV pods is really quite important. “There are some concerns, and that’s why we have a number of projects on-going at the moment.”
If that same amount of cash (to the tune of thousands of pounds) were effectively used in engaging youth, reaching them and employing experienced workers to work on their attitudes and behaviour, there would be more lasting positive effect in our communities.
Summer fun at Varden Street!
Well the event was a very positive and successful thing that has happened for the local community of Varden street, as we got a very good response from the community and have been praised for the event. As they feel that changes in the local community was needed and have given the full support to us on this. With a response like this it felt that we had met our aims and objectives of the event. This is to get the community together and bridged the gaps between the elders and the youths as the event had all age groups mixing together and talking about VSA plans for the area.
On the day of the event a slight change had to be made in regards of the speech that was planned to be given to the guest at 20:00. But the speech was delivered to the guest at 18:30, as it felt like the turn up of guest was at its peak. However at the end of the event it was a good thing that the change was made as the amount of people that were at 18:30 decreased by the time it got to 20:00. The speech given by Rashel was very productive as he had met the aim of getting the local community to know the problems that the area has and changes would be made as the support is needed.
Everything else went according to plan, such as football competition, boxing, fun games and food being served throughout the event, which was a very good thing as this was the first event that was organised by Varden Street Aasha. But have to say the support that was given by Aasha workers to the peer workers of Varden
Street was phenomenal. We from VSA thank Aasha very much for keeping up with us and their support through out the whole planning and executing the event. This has helped us full fill our aim of bonding together as a team and to build relationship between the workers of Aasha and the peer workers of VSA.
Every peer worker had been allocated roles to carryout through out the event, This has helped us understand the strength and weaknesses of the peer workers in VSA, which can be very helpful to carry out future events, because future events can consist of development for peer workers. As this event has helped develop majority of us to carry out the first event in the community.
by Mohammed Habib, Peer Worker, Aasha Project
BBQ event co-ordinator, Habib, addressing his team of peer workers during a briefing session before the event starts
VSA Peer workers getting the BBQ warmed up!
Local residents enjoying a game of carrom while young people get ready for some pad work
The gloves are out and the sparring is intense!...?
Peer worker Rashel, speaking to local residents and highlighting some of the local issues and how the peer workers seek to work with everyone to address them
Rashel in front of a crowd of 100 plus
Well the event was a very positive and successful thing that has happened for the local community of Varden street, as we got a very good response from the community and have been praised for the event. As they feel that changes in the local community was needed and have given the full support to us on this. With a response like this it felt that we had met our aims and objectives of the event. This is to get the community together and bridged the gaps between the elders and the youths as the event had all age groups mixing together and talking about VSA plans for the area.
On the day of the event a slight change had to be made in regards of the speech that was planned to be given to the guest at 20:00. But the speech was delivered to the guest at 18:30, as it felt like the turn up of guest was at its peak. However at the end of the event it was a good thing that the change was made as the amount of people that were at 18:30 decreased by the time it got to 20:00. The speech given by Rashel was very productive as he had met the aim of getting the local community to know the problems that the area has and changes would be made as the support is needed.
Everything else went according to plan, such as football competition, boxing, fun games and food being served throughout the event, which was a very good thing as this was the first event that was organised by Varden Street Aasha. But have to say the support that was given by Aasha workers to the peer workers of Varden
Street was phenomenal. We from VSA thank Aasha very much for keeping up with us and their support through out the whole planning and executing the event. This has helped us full fill our aim of bonding together as a team and to build relationship between the workers of Aasha and the peer workers of VSA.
Every peer worker had been allocated roles to carryout through out the event, This has helped us understand the strength and weaknesses of the peer workers in VSA, which can be very helpful to carry out future events, because future events can consist of development for peer workers. As this event has helped develop majority of us to carry out the first event in the community.
We boarded the boat and I looked at the peer workers during briefing time, they were happy that we arrived and not missed this opportunity as it was their first time including myself. After the briefing, everyone got changed into wet suits ready to understand the dynamics of sailing and take on the challenges. We covered about 10 miles around the coast which was a long ride on the yacht and the peer workers were getting tired as the day drew to an end.It was a unique experience of team building, fun and challenge. Sailing isn’t as easy as one may think!
We docked about 4:30pm and thanked the skipper and his first mate for a good time and set off to our vehicles to head back to London.
We could not have had a better day for playing football. The weather was a great start for the football tournament which was organised by Globe Town Aasha and Aasha Project.
The day begun with Ebadur going to Osmani Trust at 7:30am and getting all the equipment for the day. Jalal and Abu Khaled went to Neil Sports to pick up the trophies.
The teams arrived promptly to register at 9am, some even arrived earlier. This was great as it helped us start within schedule. We had one small problem, as one team didn’t show up, but the problem was resolved fairly and the other teams were given points to balance out the tournament.
After the group stages we had 30 minutes lunch break. That gave the teams enough time to rest and get some energy back. We then started the knockout stages. We had 8 teams left out of 16. The stand out fixture being Osmani trust A versus Osmani trust B.
After the quarter finals and semi finals we were ready for the final. The teams were ‘All Stars’ and ‘Osmani trust B’. In the end after a gruelling final it finished 3-3 in normal time. They went to penalties which ‘All Stars’ won 7-6, with Miron scoring the winning penalty.
All in all, the tournament was a day that all Aasha peer workers can be proud of. The general feeling of all peer workers were that they want to make this a regular event and each time to make it better and better. With the day ending we all had a briefing and talked about the day. We all thanked the volunteers that helped us out to make this event a very successful event.
By Jalal and Ebadur
Aasha Peer Workers
Peer Workers from the Globe Town Aasha group, Raz and Ebadur, spoke to BBC about their views on young people, gangs and what can be done. Watch them from 2:50 onwards. Well done Raz and Ebadur!
[Download the Application form here]
For more information contact ebadur1@hotmail.co.uk or aasha@osmanitrust.org
