Knife and gun crime were the topics of discussion at the second youth conference hosted by charity Community Links.
Almost 300 people attended Street Life 2 which included artistic performances and a panel discussion with guests including a member of Newham Metropolitan Police Service.
The conference at Stratford Circus, which was led by a steering group of young people from youth clubs and projects across the borough of Newham who are training to become mentors, aimed to encourage young people to devise their own solutions to youth crime and anti-social behaviour.
Participants discussed how the police, anti-crime services and young people can work better together, and the valuable role of youth workers in discouraging young people from crime.
Geraldine Blake, CEO of Community Links, said: “We all listened hard to the solutions and suggestions for change that came from young people and Community Links will be ensuring that these are shared with police, policymakers and local agencies.”
Judy Marsden, Director of Philanthropy at CVC, which helped fund the event, said: “It’s fantastic to see such widespread willingness from young people to do something about this vital issue. The CVC Foundation is delighted to support the Street Life programme and this event which will help spread the word in the community.”
Tuesday’s conference built on a similar event attended by over 300 young people in 2012.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here