Young Advisors in Waltham Forest continue to explore the issues for communities around the disturbances caused by the UK riots.

Jane Brueseke and reps from the Waltham Forest Young Advisors & Youth Independent Advisory Group have attended two key events recently:

Gang Prevention Programme

On Monday 30th Jan, they were invited to the House Of Commons for a parliamentary reception for the Waltham Forest’s Gang’s Prevention programme. Both of the council’s core youth engagement groups have been given funding from the GPP for capacity building training and some initial work this financial year. Young Advisors spoke with keynote speaker Louise Casey, head of the government’s new Troubled Families unit. She was so impressed with the Young Advisors that her secretary sent an email to the group afterwards asking if they’d like to be involved in a new youth panel the Home Office is setting up! The young people also networked with MP’s and other dignitaries.

On the 1st February four Waltham Forest Young Advisors & two Youth Independent Advisory Group members attended this event last night;

A Tale of Tottenham: race, riots and the future

The riots across England in the summer of 2011 were sparked by events in Tottenham, north London. Tottenham was also the site of the Broadwater Farm riots in 1985. David Lammy, MP for the area, reflects on the causes of these events and what role racial inequality played.

The lecture was in the Hong Kong Theatre with approximately 150 in attendance. At the end there was room for a few questions. Ric’Kisha Dalson, a Waltham Forest Young Advisor aged 15 asked a question about how to rebuild community cohesion in Tottenham after the riots. After the event Ric’kisha spoke with David further and also told him of the YA work with the DCLG on the Riots panel. David Lammy commended the Waltham Forest young people for their good work and told them to, “Keep doing what you’re doing!”