YLAC Fact Finding Trip

A Group of Finsbury teenagers are traveling to the US on a fact finding mission they hope will prevent youth crime. Six members of a City YMCA project, Young Leaders Against Crime are currently in New York visiting police, youth correctional facilities, the Department of Juvenile Justice for Manhattan and high schools.

Young Leaders Against Crime member Jordan John, 19, said: “We want to find out why young people get involved in crime.”

The project has been brought together by a group of teenagers through the YMCA-led Youthreach project, based at the Drum Youth Center. They will make a film about their experiences with the help of a camera crew from Mouth That Roars film production company, which is traveling with them.

Francis Cooper, head of youth projects at City YMCA, in Errol Street, said: “It all came from a visit they made to Coldingley Prison in Surrey. They were shocked by what they saw. The visit is their idea. They thought of it, planned it and they secured the funding for it. What they are doing is taking a stand against crime.”

For more information on this project please contact theCity YMCA Youth department