Guns, gangs,
family and community
The session(s) utilise an array of teaching
methods which includes individual and group centered exercises,
where we present practical solutions to tackle these serious
concerns for the black and wider communities in the UK.
Participants are encouraged to engage in open and honest
discussions about why gang culture is so appealing to young
people, focusing on practical ways to break the cycle that
ultimately leads to self destruction for far too many them.
The session(s) feature an analysis of the
role of popular culture in young lives with an emphasis
placed on the promotion of the stereotypes, that dominate
the mainstream media, where black youth are seen as the
most aggressive and least intelligent. Thus we feature musical
and DVD extracts that highlight why the young people themselves,
along with the wider community, need to take ownership and
responsibility for what is happening on the streets, especially
to black boys.
We encourage the young people to express
their innermost concerns about the things that affect their
daily lives, including the manner in which they perceive
themselves as a way to explain how they are often perceived
by others, especially those in positions of authority. This
information can then be used to enable teachers, parents
and youth practitioners to support them in a way that is
empowering and uplifting.
For Nu-Beyond their young voices must be
central to any proposed solutions otherwise they become
meaningless talking shop exercises that serve only to exacerbate
the intergenerational tensions that many of them see as
their biggest problem. Our sole aim is therefore to deliver
potential strategies that enable the young people to rethink,
and therefore change, their value system in a manner that
raises their educational aspirations and assists their positive
social development.
Nu-Beyond tailor the session(s) to suit
individual and organisational needs and can therefore deliver
them as an ongoing piece of work or as a one off session.
Please see ABOUT US for contact details where we will be
happy to assist with any enquires.
TESTIMONIAL FOR NU-BEYOND
SEMINAR ON GUNS, GANGS, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

Dr. Henry conducted seminars with each of
my tutor groups regarding guns, gangs and family in June
2007.
The seminars were designed to challenge
the perceptions of the students and to enable them to critically
analyse recent events in London.
Dr. Henry had a very calm, authoritative
manner with the students and had no problem managing the
behaviour of the students. Students developed a rapport
with him very quickly and were keen to discuss the issues
he raised with them. They were inspired by him and many
related to him due to his cultural background.
Dr. Henry is pro education and highlights
its necessity in today’s society if you are to achieve
success. Students were encouraged to study to at least degree
level.
Students comments included:
“ He made me think about what a gang
is and if I really was part of one. He made me realise that
I need to do well in school and not to hang around with
the wrong crowd.”
“He made me realise that I need at
least a degree if I am to succeed and get a good car and
a house.”
“He made me think about carrying a
weapon for protection and how it may be used against me
or that a knife might soon become a gun.”
“He made me realise that there are
good and bad people, not good and bad black people and that
they are not the only ones doing bad things, even if that’s
all we seem to hear and read about.”
“I enjoyed watching his video and
realising that he was important to our community and spoke
up for us.”
I would have no hesitation in asking Dr.
Henry to come back to the school and conduct further sessions
with the students on a variety of issues. He is a positive
role model for young people and I am very pleased my students
were able to benefit from him.
Amanda Morrell
Head of Year 8
Blackheath Bluecoat School
The culture of
the Classroom – pathways to violence
The proposed research will
examine the changing nature of ‘Black’ youth
crime and consider whether there is a direct link to the
disproportionate exclusion of African Caribbean students
from secondary schools and gang affiliation. According to
the latest figures ‘Black Caribbean pupils are ‘three
times as likely as white pupils to be permanently excluded
from school’ (DfES, 2005: 1). Consequently, many of
those excluded black pupils who live in high-crime, low-income,
areas are at risk of being drawn into alternative forms
of ‘employment’ to satisfy real and imeeds.