In London, Gang Exit has launched. It’s described as a £1.5m city-wide programme to help vulnerable young people to turn their backs on gangs, with specialised one to one mentoring and support.
A young Londoner identified as either a gang member or vulnerable to being exploited or recruited by gangs could be referred to receive intensive specialist support from trained mentors. This could range from professional mental health or substance misuse support, to help in finding a job, or a new home. Young people can be referred by teachers, police officers, care workers, and bodies such as the prison and probation services.
Almost half of young Londoners in a recent survey said gangs, or groups of people hanging around, is what makes them feel the most unsafe in the city, with 11 per cent of those questioned saying they feel under pressure to join a gang*.
The new scheme is fully funded until October 2017, with £1m from the Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) and £500,000 from the London Community Rehabilitation Company. It is the first programme of its kind to operate across the entire city, and is being delivered through Safer London and other organisations including Only Connect and youth charity Redthread. Around 300 people aged 16 to 24 will be able to access it a year.
Helga Swidenbank, Director of probation at the London Community Rehabilitation Company said: “The Gang Exit programme is a ground-breaking initiative that will change lives right across London, and help gang members and victims escape a dangerous lifestyle that can be fatal in some cases. Our experienced and specialist staff will support young people in leaving behind the corrosive culture of gangs, which is a crucial step in combatting crime.”
Frances Mapstone, Interim Chief Executive at Safer London said: “London Gang Exit is a unique new programme, in that it will ensure a consistent level of support to young people across London for the first time. This means that no matter which borough the young person lives in, they can receive help to exit gang life, stop offending and live safely. We know that working in partnership with other organisations can be enormously effective, so we look forward to delivering this work alongside Redthread and Only Connect.”
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: “I want every young Londoner to be able to feel safe on our city’s streets, and since 2012, we’ve made huge progress in driving down gang crime. But there is still more to be done and this new London-wide service will give young people involved in or at risk from gangs the chance to turn their backs on violence and crime and transform their lives.”
