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Press Release
Crime and the fear of crime are of concern to adults
and young people alike.
Crime and the fear of crime are of concern
to adults and young people alike. These are some
of the outcomes
from the BTWSC Because youth crime workshop, which
took place in Harrow Civic Centre last Saturday (December
3).
The workshop, organised by BTWSC, a voluntary organisation
that uses the creative arts to raise aspirations and
promote social inclusion, was facilitated by teachers
and police officers. It was a unique gathering of people
of diverse backgrounds and cultures - students from
mainstream and supplementary schools, parents, teachers,
councillors, magistrates, youth workers, police officers,
the media, recording artists, faith and community groups
- sitting together to discuss the issues of crime.
There were short presentations, which included barrister
and Mastermind 2004 winner Shaun Wallace, Inspector
Steve Tyler, Crime Reduction Partnership for Operation
Trident, and Iffat Rizvi of Sabrina's
Trust Against Revolvers & Racism, who
was one of the victim families featured in the Don't
Trigger anti-gun crime campaign
video 'Why?', which was screened before the start of
the workshop.
Christian Aid representative Andrew
Baker added an international dimension to the event,
when he received
a cheque of £80 raised from the auctioning of a limited
edition of American jazz pioneer Jelly Roll Morton's
"The Complete Library Of Congress Recordings" donated
by HMV. He asked the audience to pray for his colleague
Norman Kember, one of the kidnapped Westerners in Iraq.
Issues raised included the promotion of education
in a wider context, which highlighted values; the promotion
of positive images in the media; discipline; and the
notion of responsibility among the youth.
Perhaps the most interesting message from young people
was that they want youth clubs that teach human values.
The overall message of the day was the need for collective
responsibility in working together to reduce crime
and the fear of crime.
"Try and promote good role models and good things,
then younger people will try and act like that," offered
11 year old friends Joanne Broad and Ann-Marie Twumasi.
Another participant, Meera Maisuria, said the way
forward was "talking to young people from the age of
three or four about what is right or wrong."
Although some forms of music were criticised for criminal
influence on the youth, the event showed there was
conscious musical entertainment as provided by the
Royal Priesthood, The Good Samaritan Music Project,
Shimm1, Owen Deacon, and Master Shortie.
The workshop was preceded by a competition inviting
11-19 year olds to express their views on youth crime
in no more than 100 words. Interestingly, whilst young
people as young as 8 were keen to express their views,
some adults and stakeholders felt that "youth crime"
was the domain of experts. BTWSC decided to reward
the effort of all those who participated in the competition
by offering prizes in recognition of effort.
All the entrants who attended the workshop received
a selection of music CDs donated by SonyBMG, the "Made
In Britain" inspirational book, plus wrist bands
donated by the Metropolitan Police. Children's author
and teacher
Frances Somers Cocks presented the prizes and donated
copies of her historical novel "Abraham Hannibal
And The Raiders Of The Sands".
Additionally, Brent South MP Dawn Butler offered a
tour of the House Of Commons for the family of the
winning entry from a Brent resident, which will be
presented at the BTWSC Creativity/Fun Day on Saturday
December 17, 12-6pm at Tavistock Hall in Harlesden,
north-west London.
"The way young people and adults from diverse
backgrounds and cultures worked together demonstrated
that collective
responsibility is the way forward in tackling youth
crime," stated BTWSC co-ordinator Ms Serwah, adding,
"An African proverbs says, 'It takes one woman to bring
a child into the world, but it takes a community to
raise the child'."
BTWSC aims to publish a document containing the entries,
outcomes of the workshop and policy recommendations.
A summary and other youth crime resources can be found
on the microsite www.btwsc.com/because.htm.
Ms Serwah,
BTWSC co-ordinator | 020 8450 5987 | [email protected] |
www.btwsc.com
The BTWSC Because project was part-funded
by the Harrow Council administrated Edward Harvist
Fund, and
co-organised by the Black Music Congress.
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