Jacqui John joined the planning committee for the
West Newham ROC Conversations that took place this past May. The Conversations provided great feedback from the community, but the attendance of youth at the event was low. In response, Jacqui held the first Youth Panel in June in partnership with ROC.
Jacqui and fellow youth workers were among the first to take to the streets during the rioting in mid-August, seeking to engage those who were looting and those preparing to join in the violence.
“We saw a group of boys sitting on the street corner (looking very suspicious); we engaged with them and they admitted that they were waiting for others to go and do some looting. We spent 30 minutes speaking with them and challenging their mind set…
"3 out of 6 of them appeared to hear and one of them said that he would not be going with the others. While we were talking to them we then saw about 70 young people heading towards Stratford and the others went to join them.
"We really do need to engage with these young people...they admitted that they do not respect authority and believe that they have a right to help themselves to what they consider is free. They had a lot of hatred towards the Police…we challenged their thinking and are hopeful.
I have asked one of them to be on the youth panel (in association with ROC, this is an advisory and engagement panel between the police and local youth) and he has agreed. These were good guys with very warped thinking”
Jacqui goes on to describe her desire to be a
ROC Ambassador and see community transformation:
"Growing up in London, I would often hear those older than me saying things like: 'Things weren't this bad in my day,' 'Give us the good old days,' 'Over the years things have got worse.' I would reflect on those words trying to examine what exactly has changed so much, what has been the root of change that the community are so displeased with and how have these changes come to pass without the community. There are several factors which have contributed to the break down of community and the most notable one to me is the segregation & isolation amongst families which has contributed to the break down not only of the Community but Society on a whole.
"In 'The Good Old Days' neighbours would leave their doors open for every neighbour knew each other. If one had a need they could rely on the other to help, to ask your neighbour for a cup of sugar or a hand fixing the car was the norm. Now, neighbours look the other way and rarely will they reach out a helping hand to those in need or in danger. Most neighbours know of each other, but don't actually know each others names and hardly say a 'good morning' to each other.
"There has been a breakdown in communication and relation to each other for various reasons and this is why I want to support and be involved with Redeeming Our Communities. Its only by bringing people together can we bring about change and restoration to our communities, where we come together and work for the common good of all people everywhere. We may not return quickly to leaving our doors unlocked, but if we work together diligently and consistently we can bring the community back to the place of Common Unity.
"My Community needs to be redeemed from the gun & knife crime amongst its young people; it needs to be redeemed from so many teenage pregnancies and abortions; it needs to be redeemed from family breakdown and poverty, and I believe that together we can make the difference, together we can BE THE DIFFERENCE. I for one want to be a part of the change and I want to influence young people to do the same."
For more information on how YOU can become a ROC Ambassador, click here.
