hidden depths Celebrating the unseen heroes in our community
Dorothy Day - Social Activist
Editorial
By Matilda Maglio
From time to time it can feel like all news is bad news. Violent crime seems more vicious than ever. Affordable homes are harder to come by. Mental health problems are on the rise. The outlook is gloomy. But there’s a silver lining: there are loads of initiatives, and motivated people prepared to do something to make things better. Often they’re right on our doorstep, as we found out when we visited local youth organisations in Barnet for this edition of the magazine. These grass roots charities are tackling challenges in creative and unexpected ways. Who’d have thought a nail bar could help prevent crime? Yet that’s exactly what Art Against Knives has achieved, helping over 500 young women through the In Our Hands project. In some cases, these groups address less obvious
issues. The charity Forward aims to end female genital mutilation. We find out why it’s still taboo and how attitudes are gradually changing. In this edition we also talk to Labour councillor Jess Brayne about homelessness in Barnet, where over 3,000 children are living in temporary accommodation. Housing-related issues can have a major impact on a young person’s health, and one in ten young Brits live with a significant mental illness. With few organisations specifically focused on young people’s mental health, we were excited to hear from ARTiculate Futures, which offers hands-on support through creative workshops. Combined, the people and organisations featured in these pages have reassured and inspired us. We hope they have the same effect on you.
Exposure is an award winning youth communications enterprise. If you are considering a career as a creative professional or just want to improve on key skills, and increase your chances of employment, get involved. Gain the confidence, know-how, contacts and experience required to succeed in your chosen path. Exposure is a registered trademark of Exposure Organisation Limited, registered in England no. 03455480 Registered charity no. 1073922. The views expressed by young people in Exposure do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or its funders. (c) 2017. All rights reserved. ISSN 1362-8585
Contributors
Matilda Maglio
Karolina Szwak
Featured work by:
Eliot Taylor
Rejmonda Gashi
Lile Cornwall
Phoebe Lund Newlyn
020 8883 0260 07715 642 918 info@exposure.org.uk www.exposure.org.uk
Nell May
Richard Medina
Ideas & additional contributions from: Hansa Bappoo Emma de Duve Leo Israel-Governale Rochelle Ferguson
Julius Murray Shaan-Yusef Owusu-Afriyie Andrianne Thoma
exposureorg exposureuk exposureorg exposure_org
Special thanks to John Lyon’s Charity for providing the grant to make this project possible. Thank you to the students at Woodhouse College, Barnet and Southgate College and to all the young people who contributed from ARTiculate and Vales Nails.
Abiona Boja
too close to home
Photography by Richard Medina featuring Mark Stembridge
Eliot Taylor investigates homelessness and housing insecurity in Barnet Interview by Matilda Maglio, Lile Cornwall and Nell May. A housing crisis has plagued Britain for the best part of four decades and shows no sign of being resolved. Perhaps the most devastating effect is on the youth, who are displaced and disenfranchised by something completely out of their control.
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in England the number of those sleeping rough has doubled in the last five years. We now have a generation of children affected by insecure housing — either homeless themselves or growing up in an environment of financial burden. Jess Brayne, Labour councillor for Barnet (representing the Underhill ward), says housing is pertinent to many of her constituents. “When I hold surgeries, people come to me about problems they’re experiencing and a lot of them are to do with housing,” she tells us. It’s not hard to see why. In Barnet alone, approximately 2,700 households (with over 3,400 children) are in temporary accommodation.
Average house prices in London have risen from £55,000 in 1986 to £492,000 in 2014. Would-be home-buyers often have to rent a property, and as rents rise steeply many families face serious financial worries and even evictions.
As Jess points out, homelessness doesn’t necessarily mean living on the streets, the issue is not as black and white as either living in comfort, or sleeping on a cold pavement. People may also be living in unstable accommodation such as a hostel, B&B or another temporary home.
Homelessness is complex and has many possible causes, but this housing crisis is certainly a factor:
This is important. Ignoring the tough reality of temporary accommodation is damaging as it denies
dation face the council’s ‘one offer’ policy: if someone declines the first council house offered to them, the council rids themselves of responsibility to house them. “This policy causes huge distress,” says Jess. “It’s utterly heartless”. It’s not all doom and gloom though, as some prevention measures are in place, Jess says. Labour councillors have worked closely with organisations such as Homeless Action in Barnet (HAB), a charity which helps those who are homeless or threatened with homelessness to take control of their lives, obtain a suitable home and keep their tenancy. But legislation may be the only way to make decent housing available to all. Property developers are often required to build a certain number of ‘affordable’ homes with each development, and the Labour party proposes changing the definition of ‘affordable’ to a third of average household net income (compared to the current level of up to 80%). Much more needs to be done. But with people like Councillor Jess Brayne, organisations like Homeless Action in Barnet, and a younger generation that’s prepared to shout about an unfair system, perhaps we can finally make housing work for us all. If this issue is affecting you or someone you know contact: hab@habcentre.org vulnerable people the support they need; it perpetuates the assumption that their situation is their own fault; it means we don’t demand action from those in power. Housing in this country also reveals a stark generation gap. It was much easier to buy a house 40 years ago. Secure jobs, with a decent wage, were more accessible too. That means older and younger generations, with different life experiences, may have conflicting views of the issue and how to solve it.
“In England the number of those sleeping rough has doubled in the last five years” But young people are clearly vulnerable. First, they tend to “lack savings and earn a lot less” than older generations, says Jess, while university fees add to their worries. They may also be affected by family conflict such as disputes with parents or step-parents, a common trigger for youth homelessness. Yet often younger people struggling to afford somewhere don’t meet the criteria to be a high priority on a council housing list. And in Barnet many people in temporary accommo5
NAILING YOUTH CRIME Abiona Boja gels with Art Against Knives and finds out how they help young people
Violence amongst young people seems to be an impossible task to deal with. Around 199 gangs (that we know of) operate in London, accounting for 20% of all violent crimes in the capital. While youth crime in the UK is typically associated with young men, more young women are getting involved. This includes carrying knives for friends or boyfriends, based on the assumption they are less likely to be stopped by the police. According to 2015/16 Youth Justice Statistics for England and Wales, females accounted for 14,900 arrests of young people (17% of the total). However, a silver lining exists in the form of Art Against Knives (AAK), a local organisation tackling youth crime through creativity and fundraising events. AAK kicked off in 2011 in response to the unprovoked stabbing of student Oliver Hemsley. An art exhibition was organised to raise money for his medical needs, and some of the biggest names in art, including Banksy, auctioned off work to support the cause. The founder, Katy Dawe, started the movement believing that if more young people could express their feelings through creativity, less violent crime would occur. Since then, AAK has developed a programme called In Our Hands to specifically target violence against women and girls. The programme consists of two community nail bars in Barnet, Dollis Dolls and Vales Nails. “We embed specialist expertise into nail bars that are part of community life, allowing us to intervene early and significantly reduce the risks young women and girls face,” says Katy. “We provide young women with the opportunity to learn nail skills, get their nails painted for free, socialise in a safe place, develop vital personal skills and access specialist support.”
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“All young people deserve a life free from violence, full of creativity and surrounded by care” The In Our Hands programme is open to everyone in the local area for free. In the last five years, it has helped over 500 vulnerable young women gain invaluable skills, and some have even qualified as nail technicians. After my own visit to Vales Nails, I understand why so many young women choose to get involved. The atmosphere was comforting, fun, friendly and felt more like a family than a social support group. All generations are represented, from the ripe young age of 84, right down to new-born babies. AAK is not separate from the community, it is the community. Isabel Chapman, specialist lead for violence against women at In Our Hands, believes part of the organisation’s success comes from the fact that ‘ We get what it means to live in certain environments, certain neighbourhoods and certain situations, because AAK are from those communities.’ These are places where
violence is rife, and young people are most vulnerable. AAK are all about sustainability and consistency, while still remaining current and on trend. “It’s all youth-led. We don’t do all the work for them, they tell us their ambitions and we support them however we can.” Isabel said. “If we can get young people to believe in themselves, hooked up with the right resources, confident enough to achieve whatever they desire, then we will support them.” AAK aspires to expand even further. Since 2011 they’ve grown from a small grass roots movement, to a registered charity supporting over 1,000 young people. I hope to see this organisation continue to flourish as their work is invaluable. And I hope they’ll always remain firm in their conviction that “all young people deserve a life free from violence, full of creativity and surrounded by care” — a powerful and inspiring ethos for all of us. To find out more or get involved email AAK: hello@artagainstknives.com
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ARTICULATE Creating a path to a peaceful mind
Karolina Szwak explores how young people can improve their mental wellbeing through creative activities Looking after young people’s mental health and wellbeing has never been so important. According to a Public Health England (PHE) report, around one in ten young people have a significant mental health issue. I’m not surprised to hear these figures. In my own case, the growing pressure at college and at home to achieve good grades, and my experience of being bullied, have both played a part in my sometimes fragile mental health. I shied away from social interactions, and was afraid to seek help or treatment. The PHE report also reveals that just one in four young people who need treatment for mental ill health receive it. However, getting help doesn’t have to be overwhelming or difficult, and comes in many forms. ARTiculate is a programme at Community Focus, an inclusive multi-arts centre which supports mental wellbeing of people aged 16-25 living in Barnet. They provide creative programmes including activities such as painting, photography, dance, drumming and puppetry. I wanted to meet the ARTiculate team to find out more about their work, and what makes them tick. ARTiculate is based in a large Victorian house in the middle of Friary Park, Barnet. It is a very inviting light and open space, splashed with bright colours, paintings, collages, ceramics, and djembe drums lining the walls. I was greeted with an eruption of smiles, laughs and bubbly energy from two young people, Samantha and Robbie. Their confidence was plain to see, which they both told me later had dramatically improved during the past few years, with the support and opportunities provided by ARTiculate. Samantha and Robbie have been coming to Community Focus for over six years. In fact, they have developed their creative and personal skills so much 8
FUTURES During my visit, I also had the opportunity to talk to Alev and Lili, the project managers for the ARTiculate programme. Their core team consists of five people who are all passionate about using creativity to enhance and celebrate the positive mental health and emotional well-being of young people. Alev and Lili deliver three to four creative projects at a time. It’s clear to see the massive amount of love and energy they put into their work. Alev says, “We have a nice, family atmosphere here at ARTiculate.” “I support a diverse, inclusive group of young people to express themselves through the arts”, says Lili. “My work is so rewarding. I see young people grow and develop — I love my job!” When I ask Samantha and Robbie about their advice for young people who have struggled with mental wellbeing, Samantha says: “It’s often hard to explain how you feel to others, so writing down your thoughts or drawing a feeling can help you clear your mind, and start to express yourself.” Robbie recommends meditation. “It makes me feel lighter and reduces anxious thoughts. It’s all here at ARTiculate.” I can see how ARTiculate is so beneficial, I personally find creative activities allow me to process difficult
“It’s clear to see the massive amount of love and energy they put into their work” that they have recently become volunteers for the ARTiculate programmes. “I love making new friends and just having fun,” Samantha beamed. Even when she feels troubled, she says, “I can get help and support from anyone at ARTiculate.” ARTiculate’s creative programmes are free and provide an inclusive, safe environment, where nobody is made to feel different or disadvantaged, an essential start to improving mental wellbeing. “My favourite activity with ARTiculate is probably ceramics”, says Robbie. “I love the relaxing and peaceful atmosphere it gives me.”
feelings, an outlet to clear and calm my mind, and ultimately make me feel better. If you want to get involved with ARTiculate Futures please contact Lili or Alev via email: articulate@communityfocus.co.uk * We have changed the names of the ARTiculate volunteers to protect their identity 9
THE BLOOD OF TRADITION Rejmonda Gashi & Phoebe Lund Newlyn explore the complex reasons behind FGM Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a cultural tradition, one that has continued for over 2,000 years. FGM involves the cutting, removing or altering of a female’s genital parts and usually takes place between the ages of five and eight years old (though the age may vary). There are four types, and each can cause girls serious problems in the future. The procedure is physically painful and can lead to shock, increased risk of infections, problems with periods and childbirth. ‘Cutters’, those who perform
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the process, are usually older women who are not medical professionals, and don’t use sterilised equipment or anaesthetic. FGM can also lead to emotional distress, fear, feelings of helplessness and post-traumatic stress. According to Forward (the Foundation for Women’s Health Research, and Development), women sometimes report having nightmares or flashbacks many years after the initial procedure. In short, FGM can change a girl’s life, and not in a good way. So why does it still happen? To find out, we attended a screening of the film ‘The Blood of Women’, presented by Forward. This harrowing documentary reveals how women may see FGM as a way of staying part of the community, continuing a tradition, and becoming a ‘real woman’.
Illustration by Liad Janes
“Watching the film, we were struck by how much FGM is linked to men’s ownership of women” All images © Forward FGM is also encouraged by men in some communities. Watching the film, we were struck by how much FGM is linked to men’s ownership of women. The belief is that once the surgery has been performed, a husband knows his wife will be loyal to him. However, as stated on Forward’s website, there are “no health benefits” to FGM, and it is “recognised internationally as a human rights violation.” Ending the practice is far from easy, despite it being illegal in most countries. The difficulty is challenging a deep-rooted tradition, one that also provides relatively well paid work for cutters. And while ‘The Blood of Women’ is set in north-west Kenya, FGM isn’t just happening in Africa. Christina Fonthes, Youth Programme Officer at Forward says that even though it’s illegal here, it’s also a big concern in the UK. Christina’s job involves educating 9-25 year-olds in the UK about women’s rights and FGM. As it is such a taboo topic, raising awareness is hugely important. There have even been instances where pupils have only realised after learning about FGM that they experienced it themselves when very young. “They’re called your ‘private parts’ for a reason,” Christina says. “It happens and then you never bring it up again.”
age of 15 are at risk of FGM in the UK, while 137,000 women and girls here are living with the consequences of FGM. Forward also works with young men. They are sometimes shocked, after learning about FGM, that their sisters or mothers have undergone the practice. Educating men is vital if they are to appreciate how they fit into the picture, and this is also one of Forward’s aims. One reason FGM happens is pressure to conform to a man’s expectations. As Christina says: “Men have a massive role in FGM, because they pay for it.” So far, campaigns have raised vital awareness, and even helped change the law. Not only is it now considered a human rights violation, but also a form of child abuse. FGM is a criminal offence in the UK; medical professionals must inform the authorities if they see that a patient has undergone FGM. Unfortunately, FGM is still happening. Everyone can play their part to put an end to it. Visit Foward’s website forwarduk.org.uk to find out how and check out their website specifically for young people: forwardyouth.org.uk
Families may invite a cutter to come to the UK, or they take young girls back to their country of origin. In fact, according to Forward, 60,000 girls under the 11
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