Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
An innovative scheme for south London teenagers has taken place as part of the Met’s summer diversionary work.
A cohort of 60 young people, all aged around 17 from south London, were offered 11 days of placements across a wide range of Met units, lectures from top professionals in the criminal justice field, and will now get follow up one-on-one mentoring.
The programme co-run between Elevated Minds and the Met Police specifically aims to open two-way dialogue between the officers and young people – aiming to rebuild trust between black communities and police.
Shkye, aged 17, who took part in the programme said: “Before this, you wouldn’t even catch me in a room with police officers, let alone having a conversation with them. I just want to say thank you to Doreen (CEO of Elevated Minds) for giving me this opportunity.
“For now, I’m the first person in my family to go in a police station not because I’ve committed a crime.”
Police Sergeant Mensah Elliott, who has been in the Met for 21 years and helped with the planning of the programme, said: “This was my first year being involved in this work and I am grateful that I was invited to be a part of it. My personal goal for the two weeks was to demystify the mystery behind the badge and humanise the uniform and I truly believed that this was achieved. Building trust and confidence and bridging the gap between young people and policing is absolutely essential and the Met must make this a priority.
“This programme offers something very special to young people, especially those from underrepresented groups. I witnessed, first-hand, how the mindsets of the 60 young people that took part in the programme evolved and their confidence grow.
“They were able to see and appreciate that being part of the Met family involves a lot more than just a uniformed officer patrolling the streets or driving around London at high speeds.”
Elevated Minds work with young people in schools and communities across London, particularly in Southwark. Typically, the young people are very intelligent and gifted but may lack access to resources, which leaves them at risk of being groomed by county lines gangs.
The key aims are to divert young people from serious violence, rebuild trust in police, and introduce them to highlight to them parts of organisation they may not have seen before.
Some of the young people on this year’s programme have worked closely with the Met for over a year on projects including the Stop and Search Charter, the Police Race Action Plan, as well as delivering Cultural Awareness Training to New Met Recruits.
The young people were taken on a whistle-stop tour of the organisation which included visits to the forensics team, the marine unit, mounted branch, the Territorial Support Group, and the 999 call control centre in Lambeth, where high-profile major events are managed.
They got the chance to handle specialist equipment, try on kit, take part in role-plays at Hendon Police School, and visit the Inner London Crown Court. The young people were also offered a close up look at how officers deal with protestors while seeing training at Gravesend.
The group also got the opportunity to quiz Commander Charmain Brenyah, Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, and Chief Superintendent Dan Ivey face to face at a special roundtable and Q&A. They were able to discuss issues that mattered to them such as the use of drones, stop and search, gang violence, and county lines.
After gaining first-hand knowledge of the realities of policing, the close of the two weeks was marked with a special celebration ceremony for parents and supporters on Friday, 25 July.
Doreen Sinclair-McCollin, director of Elevated Minds, said: “At its heart, Elevated Aspirations is about amplifying voices that have too often gone unheard, restoring trust where it’s been lost, and reimagining futures full of purpose, pride and possibility.”
PC Nsikan Etuk, who has been in the Met for more than 20 years and is part of the community engagement team for Southwark and Lambeth boroughs, explained: “Five years ago, I sort to enhance the relationship between youth and the Metropolitan Police Service. I created the Elevated Aspirations programme alongside Doreen Sinclair-McCollin the CEO of Elevated Minds.
“The programme has brought the police and the community together in ways I could only have dreamed of, and its effects will remain in the lives of the young people involved for years to come.”
The young people were asked to complete pre- and post- programme questionnaires, and their answers were used to measure the impact of the Elevated Aspirations programme, especially in terms of trust and confidence.
By the end of the programme:
- An overall level of trust in the police had increased by 23% (6.5/10 to 8/10)
- 85% of the young people believe that police have the knowledge and skills to serve their community (vs. 35% prior)
- 90% would call the police if they could prevent a serious crime from happening, whether they knew the victim or not (vs. 50% previously)
- 30% of participants are likely to pursue a career in policing (vs. 5% prior)