Young People
We get it: it's is really difficult not to get involved in youth violence
You are faced with current trends in society, poverty, peer pressure and the need to belong and have a sense of identity. We as mentors also faced these pressures when we were younger. The pull towards youth violence has advanced since then, targeting young people from all parts of society, but even back then we found the pull towards gangs and becoming involved in violence very hard to resist.
We understand that you may be attracted to violent behavior as a way of asserting your independence from the adult world with all its rules, or maybe as a response to the restricted opportunities for success you see at school or in the community.
We understand the pressure you're under
Joining a gang might gain you the attention and respect of your peers, as compensation for the limited opportunities you see elsewhere in the world.
We know that you may also face other pressures in your life—awareness of personal competencies, relationships with parents, exposure to violence at home, the pressure of poverty, the influences of society around you, and the increasing anger bubbling inside you. All of these may make the pull toward violent behavior hard to resist. We will never judge you for this; we remember well how hard it was.
Channel 4 documentary, "County Lines: Britain's Child Drug Runners”
See more on this topic on Channel 4’s Facebook Channel:
There is a way out
At GYM we want to show you that it is possible for you to have a much more successful life than you have imagined, and we want to empower you to make that happen.
As well as talking with you about the possibilities open to you, we want to engage you in activities that inspire you and take you on trips to see what’s out there for you in the wider world.
At the same time, we will work with you on the difficulties you face within yourself and in the environment around you, to create change in your mind, and we will walk alongside you as you initiate this change in your life.
