MANCHESTER, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--"Why did the kids do it?" says Greg Davis, founder of United Estates of Wythenshawe (A charity helping young people on inner-city estates to become good citizens), "...I spent my life living on an estate, I grew up there, and have worked on the doors of many inner city pubs and clubs for over a decade. Over the past thirty years, inner-city estates have developed their own culture, which is very different to the way of life found outside these areas. If we're not prepared to accept or understand the idea of inner city culture and we carry on-the way we are, then we'd better get used to the idea of Summer Riots."
Talking about the social culture on estates, Greg continues, "....Street-Cred, Kudos and Respect are the only way these kids have to 'make their mark' on the estate. The 'badder' you are, the more chance you have of being on the 'heads' (a leader). On my estate you see kids who work hard in school, do well, pass exams, go to university, progress up the ladder, get a good salary and build a good life. You also see kids who drop out of school by 13, fall in with the wrong crowds, have regular spends in youth-offender institutes before 'graduating' to prison, before also building a 'good salary' (as a drug dealer) and having the nice car, house, clothes and so on. The PROBLEM is, it's the latter-group who get the respect on estates..."
The people who can make the most positive difference to our inner-city estates rarely live on those estates. For local people (who face problems such as anti-social behaviour, gangs and knife-crime) they rarely have an outlet to articulate their issues. And for people outside this environment? it is rare they will have experienced inner-city culture and, "with the best intention in the world, will not understand life on an inner city estate. In a nut shell, the Summer Rios of 2011 all due to a break-down in communication between the haves and 'don't have so much'...
Inner-city communities do have champions but as Greg says, "...'our' community champions are not recognised by Local Authorities, MPs or the Police.... meaning no resources, credibility or power." These people are indigenous residents of the estates, not paid youth workers, community workers or local councillors. This phenomenon is not new. When the 1981 riots took place in Moss-Side. The incumbent Chief Constable (Sir James Anderton) made a brave move. He said he would give Moss Side community leaders three days to sort their problems out before the police moved in. The problem? the people the police perceived as community leaders... were not the actual leaders. The right approach, the wrong people. The real figures of respect on my estate include the local Boxing Coach, the local Football Coach, the Boss of the local Taxi Business, the local Pub Landlord, the Boss of the Security Company, the local Dance Teacher - all local, all figures of respect, most importantly, all capable of reaching and communicating
"It's not about being scared of 'figures of respect'..." says Greg, "...it's about the fact that thirty years ago police officers, school teachers, the clergy and.. in fact... most adult figures, were considered to hold respect- they were permission givers in the community..." Greg points out that, "...the 'permission givers' that enabled the riot to break out are probably the same people that could have prevented the riot from ever taking place in the first place."
Does this respect exist today on tough inner city estates? "...I can tell you" says Greg, "...the police get no respect on our estate. We work with the secondary schools on the Wythenshawe estate, school teachers tell me that verbal abuse from school children is 'just part of the working day'; that physical abuse from children as young as 6 or 7 is 'just part of the working day'. "
It might be handy to point out here that the 'permission givers' that enabled the riot to break out are probably the same people that could have prevented the riot from ever taking place in the first place.
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Background
United Estates of Wythenshawe was built in May 1997 (quite literally) brick by brick in a refurbished church on one of the most deprived inner-city estates in the UK. The centre was built, not by builders or contractors, but by the 'hard to reach' youth of the area. The Daily Telegraph have branded it as "The Most Maverick Social Enterprise in the Country" while PM David Cameron himself noted the project as being, "...the future of youth and community work in this country."
The centre offers a diverse range of relevant community facilities ranging from a professional gymnasium, health and fitness centre, dance-studio and recording studio. "UEW" has spawned the 'Manchester Urban Collective' (popular urban music act) along with dozens of youth run social enterprises including a cinema, therapy suites, health-food cafe, security business, white-good repair service and more. Outside the estate, UEW has even launched the highly successful "Civilian Military Fitness Company".
Greg Davis grew up and lived on an estate for most of his adult life. He launched a successful security business, and since then has dedicated his life to bringing about real social change in the estates he called home.
Greg summarises: "The kids on our estate have responsibility for the day to day running of a sizeable business. These are the kids that could be otherwise out there rioting, but it would be silly to throw a brick through your own window. I cannot say that United Estates is 'The' solution, but the fact remains, we have had no riots in Wythenshawe since 1996."
Contact Information: http://www.unitedestates.org.uk