Violent crime is on the increase in inner London and other UK urban centres. African Caribbean young people are being overrepresented amongst both the victims and those perpetrating the crimes (so what else is new?).
The government is making the usual noises about increasing the police on the streets, and the police are wanting to use their stop-and-search powers more frequently and more widely (again I ask, what else is new?).
This situation is very frightening and, should we experience a hot summer this year, I expect to see a lot more bloodshed.
I am setting up workshops in the Black community using Nonviolent Communication (NVC), a method which is used in many parts of the world including places of extreme violence such as Israel and Palestine, Rwanda and Burundi, Sierra Leone and, increasingly, inner-city UK.
Parents need support, and there needs to be increased, and better-quality, communication between parents and young people, many of whom now feel the need to carry knives for their own protection. We need positive solutions.
I am looking to hold these workshops in partnership with community organisations and churches, so that we can offer them free of charge or for a low fee.
I will be talking about this on my new radio show Tuesday evening, 3rd June, 8 p.m. GMT (you need to check the time zones if you are outside of the UK). Please join us.
Fore more details, click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment