Gang Affiliation

Inclusive Care Support (ICS) has made a difference to the lives of many young people who have been caught up in the negative cycle of gang crime.

The project works with:

• Young offenders once in the community who are serving sentences for gang related crimes.
• Young Offenders who are in custody; once foundations have been established, the support is continued upon release and throughout the period of resettlement.
• Young People at risk of becoming a gang member

It offers a bespoke package of support for each individual to help them identify and realize alternative aspirations and goals away from gang life.

ICS’ Youth workers have the ability to meet young people where they are emotionally and socially, through a number of methodologies and some workers are committed to building relationships over a long period of time. Since our youth workers are not directly represent statutory bodies, they are perceived as a less threatening form of authority in the lives and experience of young people in gangs.

Several issues are linked with gang’s problem:

(Please refer to Youth Factors to gang memberships for extended factors.)

Employment – Often youth people find difficult to know what recourses they have to find a job. Also, many of them they do not like “being told what to do” which makes them unsuitable for work. In addition, their gang activities may have yielded a criminal conviction, making constructive activity even more difficult.

Educational achievement – low achievement

ICS  is committed to provide individual support around employment/education:

• Support in College information, options and attendance
• Support finding job
• Work closely with Connexions (Education and  Employment Service)
• Volunteer work (Newham Volunteers)
• Support in constructing CV.

Sexual health & Drug use and Misuse – This is a frequently mentioned issue that young people in gangs face.

Identity and peer pressure is a concern for young people

Gang membership could be seen as an indication that these factors were even more pertinent for the young people involved in gangs than other young people.

Also, a cycle of stereotyping and labeling can aggravate problems for the young people and wider society.

ICS understands that friendship, acceptance and love could redress the balance of life and create a better purpose for life for gang members

ICS provides support around Sexual Health and Drug use and Misuse:

• Support to contact DSL and working closely with them
• Support to build positive and safe relationships.
• ICS youth workers build non-judgmental relationships with young people in gangs.
• Support with information about leisure and activities around their area.
• ICS ensures that young people had a place to explore relationships in a supportive environment/relationship with adults

Gun Crimes and Violence – This is a main issue that young people face not only in terms  of the fear and concern that this creates in wider society but in terms of the fear it generates between gangs and amongst young people (other gangs).

• ICS supports young people supporting them to understand the harm they cause and the impact on others. Tackle underlying issues, which prevent them from moving forward and realizing their potential.

 

• ICS provides support by working with those young people who are thinking about gang membership in terms of raising awareness about the associated risks and dangers and seeking to reduce harm.
• Enhancement of social skills, which leads to trust and more respect with regards others.

Support to build to young people who may have had traumatic relationships with adults as they have grown up and who now face the seemingly endless barrage of hostile adults who seek to control their behavior a trusting relationship with a youth worker might be a real point of development and positive change.

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