Young people to share hopes for the future at special Hope Hack

Young people were gathering in South London today to pledge their hopes for the future in memory of Damilola Taylor.

The event is the latest ‘Hope Hack’, a workshop designed to give young people aged 15-25 a voice and which focuses on their hopes for the future.

Hope Hacks, developed by the Hope Collective, are held across the UK and delivered by organisations – including the Damilola Taylor Trust, UK Youth and the Rio Ferdinand Foundation – in partnership with violence reduction units.

Gary Trowsdale, Damilola Taylor Trust legacy director, said “We are so proud of the Hope Hacks and everyone that helps stage them – almost 4,000 young people have been involved across the UK now.”

The day-long events feature inspirational speakers and performances setting a positive scene before youth workers engage the young people present in a series of workshops themed around a fairer society. This involves groups discussing their thoughts and solutions on issues that affect them, their lives and their communities.

At the finale of the event, the young people present their ideas to an adult audience featuring decision-makers from local authorities.

The 36th Hope Hack, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, the Home Office and community transformation movement Oasis, was taking place at the new Oasis St Martin’s Village youth hub in Tulse Hill on Monday, December 9 – the first weekday after the annual ‘Day of Hope’. Sir Mark Rowley, Met Police commissioner, was due to attend to hear the young people’s ideas.

Sir Mark said: Everyone in society has an important role in making sure young people have every opportunity to succeed. Policing’s contribution is to keep young people safe from crime supported by building their trust.

“The positive impact on communities from the work done by the Hope Collective and all the organisations involved in delivering these events cannot be understated.”

Highlights of the Hope Hack were set to include talks from Coun John-Paul Ennis, the youngest Mayor ever elected in Lambeth, Black Lives Matter hero Patrick Hutchinson and Brixton Soup Kitchen founder Dr Mahamed Hashi. 

Rev Steve Chalke, Oasis founder, said “We are delighted to host a Hope Hack at Oasis St Martin’s Village. We need to hear young people’s ideas about the issues that affect their communities. But more than that, we need to support them to create the change that they dream of. That’s what Oasis is passionate about – so that no young person is left out of hope or opportunity.”

Damilola’s birthday of December 7 was designated an annual Day of Hope in 2020 by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Government.

This year is extra poignant, as it is the first Day of Hope since the death of Damilola’s father Richard. He passed away from cancer, aged 75, in March, after spending than two decades ensuring something positive could emerge from the fatal stabbing of 10-year-old Damilola.

Damilola died after being stabbed in the leg with a broken bottle in the stairwell of an estate in Peckham, south London, on November 7, 2000.

The Hope Collective – of which UK Youth is a founder member – was born out of the 20th anniversary legacy campaign for Damilola in 2000. It is one of the largest, independent coalitions of youth organisations, VRUs and statutory authorities putting young people front and centre in seeking solutions to the social ills which impact their lives.

The partnership of cross-sector organisations aims “to establish real change that enables UK’s most vulnerable communities to be free from poverty, violence and discrimination”.

Kayleigh Wainwright, UK Youth director of youth sector innovation, said UK Youth was “proud to be a founding member of the Hope Collective”.

Kayleigh said: “Hope Hacks provide young people with an opportunity to create solutions to the issues that they care most about. Thousands of young people have engaged and as a result we’ve created the start of a movement that’s connected organisations across sectors to tackle poverty and inequality, with young people at the lead.

“Policing and community safety is an issue young people feel passionately about and it’s vital decision-makers take on board the ideas and solutions created by young people in order to transform communities.”

Gary said: “What is so special about the Hope Collective is the way so many organisations have interfaced through the VRU network and their grassroots, detached youth workers.”

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org

UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes

The Hope Collective is a powerful partnership of cross-sector organisations with aligned values and a shared vision; to work together in a spirit of unity to create real change for young people and communities across the UK.