Clash and Connect
Over 60 young people and youth workers from across London came
together for Clash and Connect; London Youth’s first ever pan
London event organised by young people from its Discussing
Diversity project. By bringing together so many young people
from different backgrounds and area of London Clash and Connect
offered a unique and vital opportunity for young people to meet
and discuss topics often considered too controversial in a safe
but challenging environment.
On top of stimulating debate Clash and Connect also offered
young leaders and youth workers practical guidance and advice on
how they can challenge discrimination and promote equality in
their youth clubs and local communities. London Youth used the
event to launch its new Discussing Diversity Activity Pack, a
resource booklet packed full of innovative and exciting
activities chosen, developed and tested by Discussing
Diversity’s young Peer Facilitators.
The young people behind Clash and Connect also invited a range
of external group to deliver specific sessions looking at issues
in more detail these included the Department for Children,
Schools and Families who delivered a session on Preventing
Violent Extremism, the campaign Every Disabled Child Matters who
looked at making youth clubs more accessible for disabled people
and Stonewall who (using young people from their recently launch
Youth Volunteering Programme) delivered a workshop on
challenging homophobic bullying. For many of the young people
at Clash and Connect this workshop was the first time they had
ever discussed sexuality and homophobia and it proved an eye
opening experience as one participant said, “Up until today I’d
never talked to anyone who was gay, I never knew people were
born gay and I never realised what a damaging effect homophobic
bullying has in schools and youth clubs.”
Another highlight for many was the Equalities Question Time
chaired by Natalie Grant a young person DareLondon London’s
Youth Advisory board. This often fiery debate featured a panel
of experts each covering a different area of diversity;
Ahmed Shazad a member of Brighter Futures the self-advocacy project for
young asylum seekers and refugees, Chuka Umunna the Labour
Party's parliamentary candidate for the South London
constituency of Streatham, John Anthony from the Youth Justice
Board,
Laurie Kay Stonewall’s Youth Volunteer Coordinator and Zara Todd
an advisor
on youth
participation for the Council for Disabled Children
The finale of Clash and Connect was a mesmerising performance
from Jamal Msebele and FLOetic Lara. Both of these young poets
captivated the audience with their inspiring poems.
LGBT Directory
London Youth, in partnership with the
Consortium of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)
Voluntary Sector and Community Organisations (the Consortium),
has produced a directory of services for young LGBT people and
those working with young people.
The directory,
available to download here, is a comprehensive guide
to the LGBT groups and services London has to offer to young
people. Produced with support from the Metropolitan Police, the
directory will be given free of charge to London Youth’s youth
groups and projects. The Consortium will also distribute copies
to groups not affiliated to London Youth.
If you are a member of London Youth and have
not yet received your copy of the directory please contact John
Anderson, Diversity Projects Officer with your club address.
E:
john.anderson@londonyouth.org.uk
Non members can download an
electronic copy
here
