AYJ Monthly Newsletter: March 2021
AYJ
NEWS
AYJ launch event: #AYJAsks How could we reimagine justice for children?
This month we hosted our relaunch event, which had over 100 attendees, where we considered how we could reimagine youth justice for children. A special thanks to all of our speakers: John Drew social change activist and previous Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board, who explored the significance of children’s rights and entitlements; Gavin McKenna founder of Reach Every Generation, who highlighted the importance of increasing access for children through creating ‘Fire Exits’ at every stage of children’s lives; Shadae Cazeau Head of Policy at EQUAL, who detailed the difference between Equity and Equality and offered guidance on how to ensure equity for all children; and Nadine Smith Project Coordinator at Leaders Unlocked, who expressed concerns about the lack of input and involvement of children in contact with the justice system in improving the processes and experiences of the systems they’ve been through.
We were also absolutely delighted to have and are incredibly grateful to our Young Advocates, who offered insight and reflection on a range of topics including: how concerning it is that most children do not know what their rights are, the problems stemming from the increasing numbers of children being excluded from school and the importance of active efforts to create opportunities for children and young people including those from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. We’ll be sharing our highlights and reflections from the event soon.
AYJ engagement:
YJB Voluntary Sector Liaison Group meeting
We attended the YJB Voluntary Sector Liaison Group (VCSLG) where we heard about the YJB Participation Strategy, Youth Endowment Fund, a Youth Custody Service Safety Review, and discussed prevention, diversion, and AYJ member The Children's Society's work on disrupting exploitation.PCSC Bill
We attended a meeting held by Shadow Home Office Minister Sarah Jones MP, alongside many AYJ members, to discuss provisions in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that create a new statutory duty on agencies to collaborate to prevent and reduce serious violence. Attendees were in agreement that the duty must be amended to ensure children's welfare and diversion from the criminal justice system is paramount.
Do you know any young people who want to share their views and ideas about youth justice?
As part of their ongoing work on our youth participation project, our Young Advocates are set to begin their peer research which will see them carrying out one-to-one interviews virtually with young people across the country, looking at three areas:
Stereotypes – as it affects young people e.g. because of their age, race and ethnicity, and gender.
Education and early warning signs – identifying the signs someone is at risk and needs help, particularly in education settings.
Jail – experiences of jail and how to break the cycle.
The views and ideas of the young people who get involved and the recommendations for change will feed into the Young Advocates engagement with a range of justice sector stakeholders and influence the focus and direction of the Young Advocates’ work in the second phase of the project.
If you think young people you work with would be suitable to and interested in being interviewed by one of our Young Advocates on any of these topics please email info@ayj.org.uk.
How has COVID-19 impacted your work in youth justice?
We are calling for youth justice professionals to share their experiences of the pandemic in a blog post. If you are interested, would like to share your ideas, or would like more information, please contact Millie Hall at millie.hall@ayj.org.uk.
AYJ
VIEWS
AYJ Response: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill - implications for children and the youth justice system
AYJ responds to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 9th March 2021.
AYJ joins coalition warning new policing and sentencing bill will deepen racial inequality
A coalition of criminal justice and race equality organisations have written to the Prime Minster warning that the government’s plans for policing and sentencing will further entrench racial inequality in the criminal justice system. Read the open letter here.
Amania Scott-Samuels - Five things I have learned at AYJ
As her final week with us draws to a close, Amania Scott-Samuels, our Policy and Engagement Assistant has written a reflective blog post about what she has learned during her time at the AYJ, which includes the importance of our collective voice, the resilience of the children and young people we come into contact with and the power of strong messages. Read the full piece here.
Meet the AYJ Board Members
Get to know more about our Board Members with their individual profiles, detailing their motivations, ambitions, and hopes for positive change in youth justice…
- Meet Hannah Smithson
- Meet Hannah Couchman
- Meet Lesley Tregear
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