Deputy Mayor of London for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden, has paid a visit to Waltham Forest College to find out about the College’s commitment on preventing youth crime.
The London college which attracts over 7,000 learners per year has dedicated a whole month to raising awareness of gangs and youth violence, after the surge in street violence across the capital. The College has collaborated with a range of organisations to deliver bespoke seminars specifically for young people themed around managing conflict, online safety, healthy relationships and consent.
The College has also been actively promoting the London Mayor’s campaign against knife killings, London Needs You Alive campaign.
Sophie Linden, said: “I commend the good work being undertaken by Waltham Forest College to support and safeguard its students against knife crime throughout the year. I urge other education providers to follow their example and approach to youth violence; which includes the effective use of safety resources, engagement with the safer schools officers and the delivery of bespoke seminars to support and inform their students.”
“Schools and colleges have a crucial role to play in the delivery of positive messages and safeguarding measures to our young people and their parents.”
“The Mayor’s knife crime strategy recognises that effective school/college programmes, youth provision and summer activities are absolutely critical to dealing with some of the factors such as poverty, unemployment and educational failures that give rise to young people who are vulnerable to becoming exposed and lured into various forms of criminality.”
“The Mayor and I are working to provide the resources to help turn young people away from violence, our London Needs You Alive #LNYA Toolkit will help schools and colleges in doing this.”
College Director, Amir Ahmed said “The London Needs You Alive campaign was welcomed by our students and played an important role in reaching out to young people to highlight the importance of their lives.”
“Being formally recognised by the London Mayor’s Office for the College’s contribution to reduce youth violence reinforces our stance to student safety. We now have developed a common theme to what good practice looks like and we plan to share this with schools and colleges across the sector and partner organisations.”
