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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 with 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. |
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