Around 70 young people from across Greater Manchester attended the city-region’s latest ‘Hope Hack’ event at Emirates Old Trafford. It aimed to inspire conversation through performances and table discussions about real social issues like gender-based violence and child exploitation.
The event was arranged by Greater Manchester’s Violence Reduction Unit and saw young people from various backgrounds aged between 10 and 16 years from schools, Pupil Referral Units and youth groups come together to share experiences and have the opportunity for their voices to shape national policy.
As well as the Deputy Mayor for Greater Manchester, Kate Green (whose area of work covers policing and crime) the young people watched music and spoken word performances, which highlighted the signs of unhealthy relationships, county lines and exploitation. One performer also shared her own experience of being encouraged to carry a knife at a young age and how she moved away from this relationship.
After each session, the young people were encouraged to discuss what they had heard and asked to offer solutions based on their own experiences.
Some key themes emerging from conversations include:
Lack of safe spaces for young people to spend time
High cost attached to activities for young people
Young girls not feeling encouraged to play sports
How ‘banter’ can have a detrimental affect on a person’s wellbeing
Uncertainty on how to find work
Building relationships with trusted adults
Ella Farrell, 14, from Wigan attended the event. She said: “I think it’s important that young people have a say because these are issues happening to people our age, so if we have a voice we can do more to tackle it.
“These things can happen to people without even realising, so it’s important we know the signs to look for.”
Hamza Ali, 14, from Rochdale also attended. He said: “I’ve enjoyed the performances because not only have they been fun but they have delivered an important message at the same time.
“It’s not just me who wants my opinions heard – we’re the new generation and we want change. For that to happen, young people need to be listened to. I’m in a position where I can speak to and help other people as a Knife Crime Ambassador at school.”
This feedback will now be shared with The Hope Collective – a national organisation that prioritises youth voice to create long-term solutions – and will inform their ‘Reimagined Manifesto’, which encompasses the challenges and views of young people across the UK.
On 7th December 2024, The Hope Collective will share their Reimagined Manifesto with the new Government to influence key-decision makers and bring about change, driven by the young people who would benefit from bolstered support.
Gary Trowsdale, Programme Director of The Hope Collective, set up the organisation in 2020 to recognise the 20th anniversary of the death of Damilola Taylor – a 10-year-old boy who was stabbed in London in 2000.
After attending Greater Manchester’s Hope Hack, Gary said: “The Hope Hacks are about getting young people together to talk about these serious issues in a safe space with trusted adults who really want to help them and understand what could be causing danger in their communities.
“It’s about giving young people a platform and banding their voices together so that the issues of fairness and safety are taken more seriously.
“We know that young people across the country have shared experiences and the more we listen, the more apparent it becomes that we need real change. This is why it’s so important that these conversations influence decision makers on a local and national level.”
