Youth offenders unit moving to east dulwich rd

[peterstorm1985]

Great idea LadyDeliah. If you started with what the Human Rights Act really says rather than what it is thought to say, that would be a really good start.

The problem is getting the kids who really need help to come along. If you've spent your entire life believing that you're stupid - because everyone tells you that you are - you're not likely to go along to a class.

[LadyDeliah]

I might use the stop and search laws to entice them in!

I didn't have a lot of respect for the legal system before I studied law because politically I saw them as the same thing as the 'oppressive state'.

But after studying law and reading the judgements from the former Law Lords, now Supreme Court Judges, I have serious resepect for them.

They are on the whole, hugely intelligent and have at at times, been the last defence against creeping executive dictatorship.

Before I studied law I assumed that having these out-of-touch, unelected judges making law was a bad thing. Now I think God for the fact they are there as a balance to the megalomaniacal tendancies of the past few governments.

I was very disaffected because I did not feel like a stakeholder, and studying law has completely changed my perspective.

I hope I can pass some of my enthusiasm onto other people who feel the system is broken and needs people to fight to fix it. But rather than through rioting, through the legal and political process.

[katie1997]

LadyDeliah, I think your idea is good. Its nice to read something positive and from someone who can offer practical help.

I think Peterstorm has hit the nail on the head about getting those that really need help to attend. I think that will be one challenge; getting them to stay will be another.

Something like volunteering to help children - and adults - with basic literacy and numeracy would be valuable. This has the added advantage that those teaching and being taught can see progress, which in turn keeps them engaged and gives them very important skills for life.

You're spot on about people needing an intellectual outlet, especially for those that the current system is not reaching. Maybe start a new thread for aspiring volunteers and all the ideas etc to help take your project forward?

[LadyDeliah]

Yes, I think I might see what orgainsations are already out there though, rather than seek to re-invent the wheel.

[DJKillaQueen]

I think it's a brilliant idea LadyD and can help on a few fronts getting something started. If it's something you envisage being youth orientated, then organisations like 'kickstart' might be one outlet but there are several established youth engagement organisations and I can pass on details to you of them and available funding.

[MissNoodlesHats]

i would have written 3 white youths if they were white" karter..

Yes but why, strawberries was not putting out a description to catch them so why mention their colour. Maybe you need to reach in a little deeper and have a think, how does your attitude really portray you. " I'm johnny big balls and if they were white I would say they were white"....point being so what, what's it matter other than to your embarrassment over someone's skin colour. Not about prejudice maybe, just white fright.

[LadyDeliah]

My son used to work for Kickstart and one of the problems that he encountered was that his funding became reliant on bringing in active gang members and then spying on them. He felt this was wrong and after 5 years working for Kickstart, he quit.

I am not sure if the same level of monitoring goes on now, but I would point blank refuse to accept any similar restraints so would be unlikely to get funding from traditional sources.

I think the way forward would be to run the sessions on a voluntary basis and try to get youth organisations / churches etc to let us use their space for free.

I do not want to get hijacked by the same systems that are failing our young people currently.

[LadyDeliah]

There is a meeting in all Saints Church in Blenheim Road on ways forward for Peckham after the riots, in half an hour if anyone is interested.

[Otta]

1) If there were 2 realities and people could choose to live in the ED with the YOS in it or the other ED without it then which

would you choose? Answer honestly. If the

latter then you are actually slightly against

it even if you can't bring yourself to come

out and say it.

Sorry, but this is a nonsense. As stated earlier, it's not like anyone is desperate to have a YOS in their area and if you could chose, then what possible reason could you have to have it?

That doesn't mean that you can't support it if it is going to happen.

[Senor Chevalier]

Hi Otta

Some of the earlier posts were sickeningly self-righteous or seemed to be suggesting that people who had concerns about this were nuts. This is clearly a ridicuous way to try to persuade people that have concerns and I was trying to unpick that. I think that in the later posts, those in favour arrived at a less sanctimonious position - that these things are regrettably necessary and should be supported. This seems to be your view too.

Is a quiet night on here though all credit for trying to rev this up into something more interesting.

I never thought I'd say it, but bring back the camper van man...

[DJKillaQueen]

I have access to a space you could use for free LadyD.

I don't think anyone suggested anyone was nuts Senor for being in opposition to a YOS unit.....just pointing out that some fears were unfounded.

[Senor Chevalier]

I paraphrase - I think the phrase used was "barking". Anyway whatever, this one has been done now.

[Frankito]

Barking - clever link eh based on your previous posts in another thread today.

[Senor Chevalier]

I am the weaver...

[Otta]

Fair play Senor.

[MissNoodlesHats]

.

[Frankito]

Huuuh?

[LadyDeliah]

The meeting in All Saints Church this evening was really fantastic. I am going to join the one to one mentoring scheme run by XLP Charity. They have done lots of work with getting kids out of gangs and helping them straighten their lives out.

There was a huge turnout and lots of people who want to volunteer to help. It was inspiring and necessary for me to see, after all the right wing comments on here had made me really depressed.

They seem to think the Community Law School thing might be a good idea and I will see if I can solidify it from an idea into something tangible. I really hope there are lawyers who would be willing to give up their time to teach law to kids who think the system is nothing to do with them.

Anyway, if anyone wants to get involved in the mentoring scheme, they are always looking for volunteers. It's about giving a positive role model to a kid who may have never spoken to anyone who has raised their life above the most basic.

Kids who grow up with no-one around them who have done anything positive in their lives, grow up believeing that these things are for other people and they cannot become one of the people who make a success of their lives.

Contact with anyone who has done something worthwhile in their lives, can make a massive difference.

Click on the link http://www.xlp.org.uk/ if you want to sign up to help.

[Frankito]

Bless you LadyD, I will PM you..

[LadyDeliah]

Thanks Frankito, I look forward to it. Hope you liked the film (I hope I managed to slip the politics past you! Lol)

[StraferJack]

Se?or needs to credit his hicks quotes

[Senor Chevalier]

Indeed - Bill was a great man and my weaving is entry level at best. Probably came to me after I clocked someone referring to life as a ride in the "Matter" thread earlier...

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I was at the same gathering as LadyD. It was very encouraging. There is a site if you want to volunteer for mentoring, etc., with existing organisations.

[email protected]

[LadyDeliah]

I think Peckham Settlement are co-ordinating the elists etc. Is that email their one?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Yup - their logo is on the info slip.