Party leaders David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg hail our gangs campaign

 
Campaign: How we launched our initiative in yesterday's paper
18 October 2013

The leaders of the three main political parties today backed the London Evening Standard’s new campaign to help former gang members transform their lives.

David Cameron commended the Standard for its “bold lead”, Labour’s Ed Miliband hailed the “fantastic initiative” and Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg paid tribute to the “great campaign” that was “unlocking the energy and enterprise” of young people caught up in gangs.

Our Frontline London campaign, launched yesterday in partnership with Kids Company, the charity led by Camila Batmanghelidjh, supports ex-gang members with grants from the Dispossessed Fund to help them form bona-fide social enterprises.

The Prime Minister said: “Gang culture has blighted parts of London for far too long and I welcome this campaign, which will help young people find the right opportunities to steer them away from a life of crime and help make London a safer place.

Once again the Evening Standard has given a bold lead in tackling some of the toughest problems affecting our capital and should be commended for this campaign.” Mr Miliband said: “This is a fantastic initiative by the Evening Standard and another example of how the Dispossessed Fund is becoming a really important resource for London.

“It will give people caught up in gangs a real chance of turning their lives around so that they can use their talents to play a positive part in our communities and the life of this great city.”

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg said: “Gang membership and violent crime are blighting the lives of far too many young Londoners. But so many of these young people have so much energy and enterprise waiting to be unlocked if they can find their way out of the capital’s gang culture. I pay tribute to the Evening Standard’s great campaign to give some of these young people a chance to reach their full potential. Harnessing those good qualities, putting them to good use can both change lives and help to change our society.”

Ray Lewis, the Mayor’s lead on gang issues at City Hall, said he “fully endorsed” the initiative. “The Frontline London campaign promises to be impactful because it is both incisive and inclusive, bringing together a coalition of academics, community and business partners. The Mayor wholeheartedly embraces this initiative not least as it fits with his own commitment and priority to make London a safer place.”

We are funding three social enterprises: a removals company, featured yesterday, an events planning company, that we report on today, and a drama workshop group, which we write about tomorrow. We hope it will be the start of many groundbreaking initiatives to tackle the scourge of gangs and bring about fundamental change in our city.

How our campaign works

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What are we doing? We are backing ex-gang members to establish and grow viable social enterprises as a means of escaping the criminal and gang-related cycle. We have assessed their business proposals and have approved three of them for a £10,000 start-up grant from the Dispossessed Fund.

What is a social enterprise? A business that has social objectives rather than simply the pursuit of profit for external shareholders. These social objectives may include investing in their community as they grow, such as to hire NEETS and other young people who are genuine about leaving gangs and reforming their lives.

Who are we partnering with? Kids Company, the charity founded by Camila Batmanghelidjh in 1996. They provide intensive practical, emotional and educational support to 18,000 vulnerable children, and their clients include gang members who are the most marginalised in our city. Kids Company will provide key-workers, business-development mentors and in-kind support to our social entrepreneurs.

Why are we doing this? Gang turf wars and postcode violence have been the scourge of London for a decade. New research by University College London reveals some Londoners growing up in war-zone-like ghettoes where the stabbing, shooting and murder of peers has become “normal”. Many young people realise that gang life is a one-way ticket to nowhere, but struggle to exit. This pilot project offers a way out and sets the ball rolling to explore new initiatives.

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