Hooks for Change

Hooks 4 Change: Find your pathway

By Jaya Gordon-Moore

‘Hooks 4 Change’ is a project set up by Fearless Youth Association this year, aimed to increase social mobility and social capital for young people (age 14-18) from poor socio-economic backgrounds across Nottingham. We believe that many young people want to get involved in more opportunities in this city, but do not know where to go and who is offering what – we plan to help guide them.

‘Hooks for change’ is a criminological concept arguing that people stay away from crime when they are exposed to ‘turning points’ in life. As we all know, young people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities suffer the most from educational inequality and lack of social mobility, ever-widening the gap of achievement and representation across institutions and powerful positions. Not only are people from these communities stigmatised by racial bias, but they are more likely to be from impoverished areas which also has a direct correlation to educational attainment and social mobility.

Furthermore, young people from these communities are more likely to be victims of crime, and less likely to have access to opportunities inside and outside of school to change their position. It is important to address this injustice because it has the potential to not only show institutions the importance of elevating these young people, but also offers them a chance to grow, move away from potentially dangerous situations, and help them explore opportunities available for them.

This was not only an opportunity for young people in Nottingham to access the support they need, but also a chance for organisations to promote the amazing work they are doing. As we all know, it can sometimes be difficult to reach the people we need to help the most, one of the aims of these packs is to bridge this evergrowing gap. This is not only an opportunity for young people to get involved in more in their city, but also an opportunity for you to reach more of the people you are aiming to help.

It is so important that community organisations collaborate and do not compete, sharing resources and allocating needs is the way forward. We all specialise in particular areas and so it is important to highlight this.

What we did

With the help from a range of organisations in the city, we managed to design and distribute ‘Hooks 4 Change’ packages across Nottingham to those from these disadvantaged backgrounds. Offering them:

• A comprehensive brochure highlighting a range of opportunities from a number of organisations across Nottingham. • Mind map / Goal setting prompts and activities to help guide young people on their development journey • Stationery and Notepad

To increase access, the opportunities brochure is also available on www.issu.com. Simply scan the QR Code on this page, or go to: https://issuu.com/mojatu/docs/ fearless_youth_association_hooks_4_change_project

How to receive a Hooks 4 Change package If you or your organisation is interested in ordering some packs, please do email us : jaya@fyaonline.com

A big thank you to all the organisations involved, and Peace First for helping fund this project.

2021 IS CENSUS YEAR! AND WE ARE COUNTING DIFFERENTL

By Marius Misin

What is the Census?

Simply put, the Census is a population count. The information collected gives us an updated picture of our society and will help inform decisions delivered within your community, such as introducing a bike lane, an additional bus stop or increasing specialist teachers to help broaden educational needs for pupils. The Census itself is a national survey that happens every 10 years and everyone in England and Wales is expected to take part. By taking part you’ll be helping make sure you and your community get the services needed now and in the future. The Census has been around since 1801, with the most recent in 2011. Census has been a legal obligation since 1920 and non-completion or falsifying information can incur a fine of £1,000. Moving the census online This year Census will be a ‘digital-first’. This means we will be encouraging everyone to complete their Census questionnaire online. The survey can be completed on any smart device and should only be completed by a trusted person on your behalf. What to do next? All households will receive a letter through the post and on that is a unique access code to complete the online Census. Paper questionnaires is available on request for those who prefer. How to complete your Census? Census day is Sunday 21 March 2021 but you can complete your online form the moment you receive your access code. The Census survey asks questions about your household, their age group, occupation and general questions around health. Making Census accessible for all There will be support available for those who need it. One-to-one support is available at our Census Support Centres. Available in select areas, Census Support Centres will help individuals who are not confident filling out the form online, don’t have access to online facilities or need help completing it by paper. Our freephone Census contact lines will be opened to accept calls for paper questionnaire requests, provide language support for those who need it and be on hand to complete telephone capture. We have guides in large print and braille format, and our accessible videos have audio and subtitles.

Useful links: Census Accessibility: https://census.gov. uk/accessibility/ and www.census.gov.uk

Marius Misin

Community Advisor for Roma South Nottinghamshire and South Derbyshire Office for National Statistics