Do you want to become a Y stop trainer

Y.Stop is a new stop and search project created by young people for young people. It is coordinated by Release in collaboration with a large number of charities, lawyers, NGOs and educators. The project aims to give you the skills to handle stop and search and your interactions with the police, as well as provide tools for advice, empowerment and reporting police behaviour. Some more information about the project is here;

Click on link for more.

Y.Stop will be launching next month and will eventually have a whole series of advocacy tools such as an app, film and alternative complaints process especially aimed at young people. We are also launching a training programme and next week are running a train-the-trainers session session to create a new group of peer trainers as part of it. Peer trainers will play a hugely important role in Y.Stop, equipping young people with practical skills, confidence and knowledge to successfully handle stop and search in a fun and practical way.

If you are interested in becoming a Y.Stop trainer, Fully Focused will be delivering a train-the-trainers session for StopWatch and Y.Stop youth partners at 3 – 4.30pm on Tuesday 6 May at;

SkyWays Blue Hut,
49 Provost Street
London
N1 7NZ

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Police stop and search powers to be overhauled (BBC)

Police stop and search powers in England and Wales are to be overhauled with a revised code of conduct, Home Secretary Theresa May has said.

She told MPs an inquiry had found 27% of searches may have been illegal.

She said that if the number of stop and searches did not now come down, she would seek to change the law.

The move follows a consultation, which highlighted concerns that stop and search was used too widely and was unfairly targeting ethnic minorities.

Labour say the plans do not go far enough.

‘Affront to justice’
Recent figures show only about 10% of more than a million searches lead to an arrest, with black people six times more likely to be stopped than those who are white.

read more

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People — Including Cops — See Black Kids as Less Innocent and Less Young Than White Kids

Grateful for any feedback on this article..

http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/03/people-including-cops-view-black-kids-less-innocent-and-less-young-white-kids/359026/

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THE STEPHEN LAWRENCE INDEPENDENT REVIEW PDF – download report

Today’s statement from the home secretary has revealed shocking action by the police. The public inquiry which has been announced will deal with undercover policing, but concern should go much wider, to police race relations generally. The inquiry will lead to public confidence in the police being damaged further. Police failings revealed will be woven into a long history of poor relationships between the police and black people. That history is not about the past, it lives today, seeping away public trust in the police.

stephen_lawrence_review_summary

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Londons Peer Outreach Team

I was truly honoured to present and discuss VOYAGEs programmes and impact with London’s Peer Outreach Team (POT) this afternoon at City Hall.

I was so inspired I just had to stay the whole day listening to the very thoughtful and passionate views of young people shaping their London making it a first class city and them, first class citizens. I am really looking forward to exploring how VOYAGEs YBPA (Alumni) can collaborate with POT to make an even bigger difference to the lives of young Londoners.

Splat splat… You know what I mean.

http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/young-people/engaging-young-people/peer-outreach-team

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The Interrupters – Chicago USA

I recently watched a film called the Interrupters and fell in love with Ameena, Cobe and Tio and the whole team over there in Chicago. This film and its array of inspired characters are so amazing they show you how early and direct intervention on the streets can make a meaningful difference to the lives of young people. The injustices of criminal justice policy and policing often  work covertly to maintain a status quo and we all  need to be aware of this.

Rather than wait for policy, governments or leaders to change and understand the plight of our young, we must develop our own direct solutions just like the Interruptors have done. Why not check them out and leave a comment http://interrupters.kartemquin.com

http://cureviolence.org

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/aug/06/interrupters-chicago-anti-gang-violence 

 

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Disparities in Drug Policing

http://www.release.org.uk/press-release-racial-disparities-drug-policing

Niamh Eastwood, Executive Director of Release and co-author of the report, states “this research shows that stop and search is not about finding guns or knives but about the police going out and actively looking for people who are in possession of a small amount of drugs, mainly cannabis”.

make a comment.

 

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The voice of our chair Leroy Logan Phd MBE

“Not leading from their desks but leading on the streets of London” Leroy Logan MBE

Do you feel under protected and over policed? Interested in participating in our debate planned for the Spring of 2014?

Voyage youth will be organising a debate in the spring 2014 (date TBC) focusing on the paradox of the Police trying to provide safer neighbourhoods whilst carefuly balancing the views of our communities  who often feel we are over being policed?

Voyage youth aim to bring together key Police officers, young people and wider agencies to explore this profound issue. Interested??

 

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Camila Batmanghelidjh – Being open..

I had the wonderful pleasure to meet Camila Batmanghelidjh just before Christmas 2013 and was so inspired by Camila’s presence and leadership I thought I would blog this article. I personally believe by sharing your stories you can help others to understand how personal life, love, tragedy and trauma can help shape the professional choices we make and eventually take.

We need more honest, open and useful anecdotes from great leaders like Camila, especially when your own life does not quite beat to the usual path way to greatness and success.  Thanks for being you Camila.xxx

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12 Years a Slave – Steven McQueen

Brad Pitt said – “this story could only be told correctly by a british man” and this powerful story was directed by the courageously wonderful – Steve McQueen, who says  “There’ve been more films about Roman slavery than American’ click here

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