On Monday 10th October, we partnered with Avon and Somerset Police to deliver a session at BS14 Stockwood Youth Club. We taught young people about hate crime and how we can reduce it. We were also able to link with Bristol Drugs Project, using them as a gateway to open up conversations around drugs and alcohol. This allowed young people to see how drugs and alcohol could potentially lead to hate crime.
After the session, Antony Lodge, the ASB Co-Ordinator for project ADDER from Avon and Somerset Police contacted us to share his thoughts on the session.
Antony, from Avon and Somerset Police said,
It was a pleasure, although it was a long day for me it was worth it for me to attend this youth club session.”
The ASB Co-Ordinator managed to talk to young people about drugs and the effects that they can have on people. All the young people in the session had a healthy respect and caution for drugs, which he said he found uplifting. Several of the young people that attended were living with other family members due to parents who have a past with drugs, but he found that they were living with amazing role models, as they had firmly decided to not follow a similar path to their parents.
He then finished by saying,
I don’t often get this perspective as I often deal with people who are already off the rails. It was a refreshing and uplifting experience.”
This is the beginning of Young Bristol’s partnership with Avon and Somerset Police and Bristol Drugs project. We are excited to see how the partnership unfolds and increase the awareness for hate crime.
To find out more about how you can support Young Bristol’s work with young people click here
