It’s Youth Safety Fortnight in Camden and this year we’re recognising the work of Project 10/10, our multi agency partnership supporting young people affected by violent crime
What is Youth Safety fortnight?
27th June to 12th July is Youth Safety fortnight 2022. Launched by Camden council, it combines a series of events and workshops to provide support for the borough’s young people and raise awareness about what is being done locally to keep young people safe. Click here to find out about over 100 events taking place across the borough.
What is Project 10/10?
Since 2016, Coram’s Fields has worked alongside MAC UK, the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust and Camden Council in partnership with the London Violence Reduction Unit, and has also been supported by New Horizon Youth Centre and Islington Integrated Gangs Team to deliver life changing support for young people through a trauma informed approach that brings youth work and clinical intervention together to address the underlying mental health issues faced by many young people involved in violent crime
And this year, Youth Safety fortnight coincides with the release of our impact report, which we’re thrilled to see recognised by the Mayor London and featured by the Violence Reduction Unit.
Since April 2016, the project has had contact with 187 young people in the with ages ranging from 16 to 25. This includes 30 regular attendees, and 20-30 people attending each drop-in group session. Currently 16 hours of face-to-face contact time each week for one-to-one sessions are provided through Project 10/10 which also part of outreach sessions with partner agencies throughout the week.
Why ‘Project 10/10’?
Originally the project was known as the Camden and Islington Integrate Project. Once a core group of young people had engaged, a discussion emerged around the shared identity of the project. One young person suggested 10/10 because they felt like the staff in the project always looked for something in each individual that is 10/10
“I think there is a need for this project as it isn’t like any other project that I personally and my friends have been to. The project is different in its ways as the staff actually want to help us get a job and try to push us towards the right way, even if we are telling them not to, they will still show us other ways around it and how they can help.”
– feedback from a 10/10 young person
Project Outcomes
We are especially proud of the outcomes that Project 10/10 has achieved. Sessions are run from our youth centre with input from our senior youth worker, Evans Omondi.
One key outcome has been engagement with young people who are involved in and are victims of violence as well as an increase in prosocial activities among those attending the project.
The project also provided opportunities for young people to discuss mental health in a way that reduces stigma associated with it; currently 8 attendees are having regular one-to-one sessions with a clinical psychologist. Those that attend the sessions have reported significant improvement in their mental health and wellbeing, noting their improved ability to manage emotions, relate to friends and engage with their community.
Project 10/10 has also led to its young people taking up jobs and apprenticeships, attending employability sessions, writing CVs, attending local youth centre activities as well as accepting referral into mainstream health services.
These recordings were all completed during normal Project 10/10 sessions:
“With everything to do with gang violence and everything that’s even going on in the world right now, it’s the only place that we can go to and just talk and really express how we are feeling and what we think of what’s really happening and how we can get help.”
– feedback from a 10/10 young person
