According to the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, there was a 20% increase in reported cases of children and young people being exploited by gangs for drug trafficking and other criminal activities in Sussex in the past year.
In a recent peer led research report, conducted by Peer Power Youth, a national charity, that works alongside young people to solve young people’s issues, found that to reduce the growing concerns around youth violence, gang grooming, knife crime, and exploitation there must be empathetic, trusting relationships made with young people.
Another key finding was that to reduce violence there must be professionals with lived experience who reflect their diverse background and early intervention and better support structures in local youth services in schools.
“You need to take action based on what young people are saying”.
– Young person
Many young people expressed that existing support structures, particularly in schools and local youth services, are inadequate. When asked about whether there is enough support in their local area, a resounding 96% of young people stated, ‘No’,
Young people have highlighted the need for increased investment in youth services, promoting creativity and connection in what it means to be a community. When asked what would make young people’s communities feel safe/better, nearly 45% of young people mentioned ‘more youth workers’ and ‘more youth clubs’.
The data revealed significant gaps in support services, particularly in schools and local communities. When the young people were asked whether they felt safe in their local area, a staggering 59% of young people stated ‘No’,
PPY has been engaging with young people in a project in the South East since 2021, both in secure settings such as Secure Children’s Homes and Secure Training Centres. They believe that working with young people with an empathetic approach and involving them in the decision-making processes will provide professionals and stakeholders with the solutions they need to try and tackle this issue.
As a result, Peer Power Youth held a ‘Voices of Resilience’ event on 23rd June 2024 to highlight the key findings from this report, inviting key partners, funders and stakeholders to come together to address the violence in Sussex and create positive change working with young people.
Find out more about the event here.
Read the full Voices of Resilience report here.
View the event programme here.
Keep up with the latest on empathy, co-production and youth-led system change.
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