YOUTH workers on Limerick’s southside were first in Ireland engage in a new crime prevention initiative which aims to educate young people about the dangers of gangs and weapon crime.
Youth workers from Southill Area Centre, Roxboro Garda Youth Diversion, Southill School Completion Programme and Limerick Youth Service, were trained in the programme. Jennifer O’Brien, Southill Area Centre, brought the UK-based Streetwise programme to Limerick.
It was developed in Leeds to combat gang crime.
Jennifer said that although gang culture in the UK was different to here, much was applicable and will be rolled out in the Southill area.
She said: “We invited all youth workers in Southill and the surrounding areas to participate. We wanted to challenge young people’s perception of what a gang is”.
The programme uses an alternative approach to educating 10 to 21-year-olds about drugs, weapons and gangs by using powerful messages from former gang members.
She added: “It highlights the negative impact of getting involved in gang crime and promotes positive alternatives”.
Education packages provided include, ‘Bite the Bullet’, a weapons awareness programme, ‘Dealers’, a drugs education programme and ‘Doin Time,’ which deals with the consequences of going to prison.
She stressed It was important that youth workers are educated about drugs and weapons, as it helps them to recognise the culture.
Streetwise gets youth workers to explore the reasons why people join gangs.
Jennifer explained: “Teenagers can often be oblivious to being a part of a gang as it is seen as normal for them, and they are just hanging around with their friends”.
Those trained will now use art, music and role-playing to promote positive alternatives to gangs and crime.
The programme also made the community workers aware of the different recruitment methods used.
It uses a youth friendly design and connects to teenagers using modern language and references to hip hop.
Some of the weapons used are highlighted, including swords, knuckle dusters and pool balls in socks.
