Trafford Housing Trust “Guns & Gangs” Project Wins Philip Lawrence Award
10 December 2009
We are delighted to announce that a Trafford Housing Trust
project researching and tackling gang culture, guns and knife crime
in Old Trafford has won a Philip Lawrence Award. This award scheme,
set up in memory of head teacher Philip Lawrence who was killed in
December 1995, rewards the outstanding achievement by young people
aged 11 to 20 in good citizenship.
The award was made on Tuesday, 8th December 2009 by
the Secretary of State for Children Schools and families, Ed Balls
in a ceremony hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald. David Esdaille from
the THT youth team to receive it along with a number of the young
people involved in the project.
The project itself involved young people from the community
taking the initiative in understanding and tackling the issues. The
young people received training in running focus groups and online
surveys and research. They then collated their findings and
presented them in an event at Old Trafford football ground to
national and local decision makers as well as the local community
itself. The young people have shared their results in educational
workshops in schools and used rap music to get their messages
across to other young people.
Frances Lawrence, founder of the Awards said "The young people
who make up the Guns and Gangs Project in Old Trafford show us the
very best of human nature. They have identified a serious problem
and reached out to help people whose lives are affected by it. Its
an original and imaginative project and has tangible results in the
community. The Philip Lawrence Awards celebrate all these young
people for their determination to make things better and for the
great inspiration they are to others".
Fabian Facey, a young person from the project said "its great to
get recognition for the work we are doing. Some in the community
have a very negative view of young people, it feels like young
people have no place in society and as a consequence are not
prioritised in terms of resourcing and giving them a voice. In many
ways the current surge in gang culture is young people's way of
rebelling against not belonging to something. We want to show young
people that they have choices and they don't have to join a gang,
there are other things out there and they just need the self belief
and confidence to go for them"