A new panel to understand youth violence in Southwark and how to tackle it has meet for the first time at Southwark Council.
This year London has seen a surge in serious youth violence including a wave of stabbings and shootings – including a series of seemingly ‘tit-for-tat’ attacks between warring gangs in Southwark.
The cross-party panel of eight will hear evidence from a range of experts and residents to look at how the council and other agencies can find solutions for the root causes of violence.
Two of its members are young people themselves. Speaking about their involvement, councillor Evelyn Akoto, cabinet member for community safety and public health said: “They will be able to bring personal experience which is so important for a project of this nature.
“It is key that their voices and the voices of other young people in the borough are heard and that they are part of the conversation.”
Anyone can attend the meetings, with the next scheduled for 5.30pm on Wednesday, January 23, at the council’s Tooley Street offices, where early help and education will be discussed.