European cities follow Glasgow’s lead in tackling youth disorder
Delegates from eleven cities across Europe are coming to Glasgow this week to hear first-hand how the city is leading the way in tackling gang-related antisocial behaviour and helping young people achieve their potential.
Glasgow Community and Safety Services (GCSS) will be welcoming the fifty-strong delegation when it arrives in Glasgow on Thursday, May 14, as part of the My Generation Programme, set up and funded by the European Union to share best practice in working with hard-to-reach young people.
Workshops and visits during the two-day stay will focus on GCSS’ offender-based programmes, including a pilot project in 2008 which saw members of two Ibrox gangs work together to break free from gang culture and move into employment, education and training.
The initiative, carried out in conjunction with the Ready 2 Learn Centre at Rangers Football Club, and City Building, worked to address issues such as antisocial behaviour, youth offending and gang fighting, while helping the young people understand the effects of their behaviour within the community.
The My Generation Programme will look at how initiatives like this go hand-in-hand with other services aimed at tackling antisocial behaviour in the city. During their visit, delegates will have the opportunity to tour the learning centre at Ibrox and to meet some of the young people who completed the 2008 pilot. The group will also visit GCSS and City Building, where many of the young people underwent training during the initative.
Phil Walker, managing director at Glasgow Community and Safety Services, said:
“Our offender-based programmes are aimed at tackling the route causes of offending behaviour by working with children and young adults to facilitate key skills in learning, develop personal and social skills and provide routes into further education, employment or further support networks.
“This visit allows us to share examples of good practice and explore how we can tackle issues of antisocial behaviour and youth disengagement in our communities, whether they arise in Glasgow, Gothenburg or Gdansk.”
Willie Docherty, managing director of City Building (Glasgow) LLP, said: “City Building are delighted to welcome delegates from across Europe to our Queenslie Training Centre and highlight the work our training team undertake to ensure our apprentices reach their full potential and become qualified tradesmen and women.”