In another blog, as part of anti-knife crime week, the Boys & Girls Clubs can provide us with a lesson from history about how youth clubs can play a part in reducing knife crime in our local communities.
Back in the mid to late 1800’s gang violence towards other people, property and opposing gangs, was rife in Manchester’s most deprived communities.
Police, magistrates and local authorities were struggling to know what to do and a national outrage was gathering momentum.
But a response was on the horizon. Perhaps not what was expected, but one that, over time, would help to address the aggression that was terrorising many communities.
In short, local people came together along with Police and local businesses to provide an alternative to the gang violence that was currently attracting the attention of the young lads of the area. They established what became known as Ragged Schools & Lads Clubs.
Far from being what we would perceive to be a ‘youth club’. These clubs would provide education, training and leisure time activities for the lads of the area. Partnering with the Police they were offered an alternative to prison. Linking with local businesses, lads that had gone through the training programmes offered at the club would be offered steady and ongoing employment.
Over time, they helped to bring to attend what had become knows as the Scuttling Gangs and helped young lads lift themselves out of poverty and it’s associated problems.
Can we learn from this brief lesson from history about the role that youth clubs can play in helping to reduce knife crime?
1) It takes time.
Fixing the issue of knife crime will take time. There is no short-term fix. It took the Lads Club movement upwards of 50-years to finally bring an end to the Scuttling Gangs.
The answer is not a quick soundbite when such shocking violence hits our streets and screens again. And, whilst it helps, the answer is not a short, sharp funding boost.
The answer is the consistent and long-term application of proven principles delivered by tried and tested organisations.
2) Partnership is key.
The Scuttling Gangs were brought to an end as a result of a strong, purposeful partnership between the local community, Police and local businesses.
Each brought their own unique strengths to the partnership to point towards and provide a more appealing alternative to the routes hundreds of lads were currently heading down.
3) They were dealing with the causes of the problem, not the manifestations of the problem.
The Lad’s Clubs sought to address the causes of the gang problem, rather than the gangs themselves.
Most of these lads came from the most deprived backgrounds in Greater Manchester – indeed the country. The suffered from low income, lack of education, poor housing, no employment prospects, and no alternative purposeful activities were on offer – they had nothing constructive to do with their spare time.
The Lad’s Clubs offered help in finding a way out of dire circumstances they currently faced. It is these things that were the root cause of the rise of the Scuttling Gangs.
Any lad attending one of the clubs first of all had to take part in the clubs training and education programmes. They had to learn how to read, write and do their maths. They had to learn a trade of some sort. Only then were they allowed to enjoy the club’s recreational activities.
Once going through the training and education programme, local businesses would then be prepared to take the ‘graduates’ into their employment.
It was this combination of training, education and purposeful recreation, leading to steady employment that led to a more hopeful, healthier and fulfilling life for these young men. Leading them away from the gangs and violence, drug and alcohol abuse, that they had previously been caught up in.
4) It all stems from poverty.
The problems caused by the Scuttling Gangs stemmed from the most deprived communities of Greater Manchester. Places where, as alluded to, there was poor housing, poor health, lack of education, lack of opportunity and aspiration, but high crime, drug and alcohol abuse.
As we look at our most deprived areas today, we see those same manifestations of poverty.
Today, in our most deprived communities there are clear and recognised inequalities in health, education, housing, employment and so on. We find there is increased drug and alcohol abuse, children and young people are at greater risk of abuse and exploitation and are more likely to get drawn into gang related activity. And it is in our most deprived communities where people are more likely to suffer poor physical and mental health.
Youth clubs have the opportunity to bring sense of hope and purpose to young lives. But they need investment to be able to do so.