BCBN launches new partnership with Khulisa, Redthread and StreetDoctors
Three youth charities, Khulisa, Redthread and StreetDoctors, have joined forces in an attempt to shift the narrative on knife crime in London. The collaboration between the three charities is generously supported by Better Communities Business Network (BCBN) and their aim is to raise awareness of their programmes (and others) which successfully reduce and prevent incidents of youth violence. You can read more about this new partnership here.
To mark the launch of the collaboration, the charities hosted a Taster Session at Wac Arts College (a college providing an alternative curriculum for children who have been excluded from mainstream school) on Thursday 12th of July 2018. The event was attended by a selection of business and community leaders, grant-makers and policymakers, as well as the All Party Parliamentary Group for Knife Crime. All the guests were focused on a similar goal, to discuss and demonstrate what role they could each play in enabling young people to break the cycle of violence and crime through a collaborative approach.
BCBN are delighted to be partnering with Khulisa, StreetDoctors and Redthread. The taster session demonstrated the holistic, innovative and engaging approach these charities are taking. An opportunity for participants from the business, charitable and public sector to meet with young individuals whose lives have been touched and changed around through the intervention and support received from these leading organisations. A great way to raise awareness, demonstrate impact and commitment to these young people.
-Sabah Gilani, Chief Executive of BCBN
Khulisa kicked off the event with a taster of their flagship behavioural change programme. Damian Castello (Khulisa’s Director of Delivery), created a safe space for guests to reflect on the impact of their own behaviour on others and to question their perceptions of ‘violent people’ and the root causes of violence. Much like the young people on Khulisa’s programmes, guests began to identify their own triggers to anger or violence, they shared their experiences with the group and explored how their experiences of their childhood still play a central role in shaping their values and beliefs as adults.
We then transitioned to StreetDoctors volunteers , who change lives by giving young people the skills and confidence to deliver life-saving first aid. Through this session the group learnt about the fragility of the human body, the medical consequences of violent injury and how to help someone who is bleeding. The knowledge learnt creates space for young people to question weapon carrying behaviour and gives them the skills to be potential life-savers.
The third session of the morning took us to Redthread led by CEO, John Poyton. Redthread’s programmes integrate trauma-informed youth work into the health sector, to empower young people to thrive as they navigate the challenging transition to adulthood. John was joined by two young people who had worked with Redthread’s hospital-based Youth Violence Intervention Programme, and a youth worker who delivers the intervention. Guests were given direct accounts of the circumstances that led these young people to hospital and their experiences of working with Redthread, and were also presented with opportunities to ask questions. The session demonstrated how Redthread’s trauma-informed, asset-based approach and work in the ‘teachable moment’ is so effective in empowering young people to make positive change for their own futures.
This event has taken the three charities a step closer to raising awareness of successful interventions which exist in London today. Guests left with a renewed sense of the importance of collaboration if we really want to address some of the UK’s most prevalent and pervasive social problems.
“Although knife crime continues to rise, fantastic organisations like Redthread, StreetDoctors and Khulisa show that there is hope. There’s a real movement of campaigners and charities now pulling in the same direction, and today’s event demonstrated how effectively we can prevent violence when we collaborate. Whether it’s primary prevention in schools or communities, or secondary prevention in A&Es and trauma centres, we need to work together with a shared goal to cure violence in our communities.”
-Sarah Jones, MP for Croydon Central and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime
Interrupting the cycle of violence is paramount if we are to protect future generations of young people. Through interventions which support young people at high risk transition points in their lives we can equip them with the knowledge and emotional resilience to make more positive decisions, helping them to lead safe, happy and fulfilling lives, free from violence and crime.
Following this event, BCBN will be hosting a Fundraising Gala Dinner with guest speaker, Leader of the Labour Party, Rt Hon. Jeremy Corbyn MP on the 10th September. The gala dinner provides an opportunity for business leaders, entrepreneurs and heads of charities, to network and support local community projects, upholding their corporate social responsibility. To become a sponsor or purchase a ticket, please email events@bcbn.co.uk or visit Sponsorship Page.
