Inspiring Changes – Gangs, riots and Racism: an event for all young people

Please click here to register for this free event

4.30pm – 8.30pm: Youth Conference on Gangs, Riots and Racism:A unique youth conference that will feature well-known local and national speakers who have either been involved in gangs before or are leading practitioners in the field. Our focus will be on sharing ‘stories of change’ to ‘Inspire Changes’. It is our belief that those who have experienced the challenges of growing up ‘on road’ understand the issues best and are in the most effective position to educate and empower youth facing similar challenges. The conference will is also be an opportunity for young people to contribute during several breakout sessions. Facilitators and presenters that are already confirmed include: Twilight Bey (Social Intervention and Gang Specialist, from South Central Los Angeles, worked with Bloods and Crips), Robyn Travis (Author, poet. Formerly affiliated with Holley Street, Hackney) Harun Miah and Abdul Hannan (Professionals in drug rehabilitation, formerly affiliated with Cannon Street Posse, Tower Hamlets) Raymond Douglas (Director of Anti Youth Violence, Leading expert thinker and doer in field of gang crime prevention), Sharif Cousins, Dylan Duffus and Shaba (founding members of New Day Foundation, and formerly affiliated with Burger Bar Boys and Johnsons Crew, Birmingham) Udjal Kamrujzaman (Social work professional and long serving member of the Aasha team, formerly affiliated with the Brick Lane Massive, Tower Hamlets) Dev Barrah (anti-racism campaigner and community activist with decades of experience, Director of Equa-Ed) Abu Mu’min (Senior Manager of Osmani Trust, formerly one of the founders of Bengal Tigers gang, Tower Hamlets) Please click here to register for this free event

Social media and negative effects

Please check this highly informative link from Assisted Living Today that highlights some of the negative effects of social media on our brains and habits.  In youth work, we’ve always valued face to face interaction, relationship building and community but as young people take up facebook, twitter and other platforms, we need to learn to embrace them also.  As part of our gang prevention work and conflict mediation, its crucial to have those personal and trust based relationships.  Social media is changing our brains though and youth workers, outreach workers and other practicioners will have to adapt to some of the effects in years to come.  How can we utilise these new tools yet educate young people so they are informed about their potential negative consequences too?

http://assistedlivingtoday.com/p/resources/social-media-is-ruining-our-minds-infographic/

 

Combatting Turf War

Paintball event bringing together four groups of youth from different areas. Breaking down barriers, developing trust and building alliance in a way that youth understand