Peer Action Collective. 

 

In Hull, the impact of youth crime and violence deeply affects our younger generation. For the past two years, the Peer Action Collective (PAC) has been right here, working tirelessly to tackle this challenge head-on. Our approach is simple yet powerful: we create spaces where young people come together, speak up, sharing their experiences in an environment they are listened to. We empower them to uncover the root causes of the issues affecting their communities and explore how these challenges show up in their own neighbourhoods. We are young people, looking out for our youth. Using our voices to amplify the issues that we are facing to those who hold power in government and local councils. 

 

We've spent two years connecting with young people across Hull, truly listening to their stories. Our goal is to bridge the gap between their experiences and the obstacles that stand in the way of the life they truly deserve, a life filled with economic stability, opportunities to grow, and, most importantly, safety. 

Funded by the Youth Endowment Fund, the #iwill Fund (a joint investment between The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport) and the Co-op, the PAC is here to support young people to take the lead. 

 

Thanks to their funding, we've been able to launch two research projects that interconnected with each other. "Addressing Barriers to Positive Activities" and "Creating Safer Spaces." 

 

PAC is a ground-breaking network of Peer Researchers, Social Action Leads and Changemakers. At Tigers Trust we are a team of 4 young people who live in, or are connected to Hull and have a shared desire to improve their area for all young people. 

 

Our projects originally start out as research projects, this means using qualitative data gathering from young people to understand their thoughts and any issues that arise within the community. After this phase is done we move onto social action, this is where we gather our information and hand it out to local stakeholders with our recommendations. 

Our first round of research, titled "Addressing Barriers to Positive Activities," involved conducting in-depth one-on-one interviews and interactive focus groups with a diverse range of young people. Through these conversations, we gained valuable insights into the challenges and obstacles that young people face when trying to engage in positive and constructive activities. A recurring theme that emerged was the urgent need for young people to have their voices genuinely heard and taken seriously. When young people feel ignored or overlooked, it can lead to feelings of frustration, disengagement, and, in some cases, involvement in antisocial behaviour as a way of expressing themselves or seeking attention. 

 

In direct response to these findings, we made the decision to establish a Youth Voice within our organisation. The creation of a Youth Voice is more than just a symbolic gesture - it is a structured platform that ensures young people are actively listened to on matters that directly affect their lives. This initiative provides a safe and supportive space where young people are empowered to express their opinions, share their ideas, and participate in meaningful decision-making processes. Through this platform, young people are able to influence positive change, advocate for their needs, and make tangible contributions to their communities. 

 

As a team comprised entirely of young people, we took time to reflect on the strategies and processes that led to the successful creation of our Youth Voice group. Drawing on our own experiences, we developed a comprehensive toolkit designed to guide other organisations through the steps of establishing their own Youth Voice groups. This toolkit not only outlines practical steps but also highlights lessons learned, best practices, and key considerations to ensure long-term success. Ultimately, our overarching goal is to expand opportunities for young people to be heard, fostering inclusive platforms that amplify as many young voices as possible and encourage meaningful engagement across communities. 

 

As Peer Researchers, we set out to explore how positive activities could reduce youth violence in our area. We conducted one-to-one interviews and focus groups with 77 young people from diverse backgrounds across Yorkshire. 

 

Our first round of research revealed a common theme: many young people lacked safe spaces to spend time. With nowhere to go and little to do, some became involved in antisocial behaviour. 

 

In response, we created a Youth Room within our organisation - a welcoming, supervised environment where young people can escape negative peer pressure and harmful influences. We believe that establishing such spaces can play a key role in reducing youth crime. 

 

Wanting to share our approach, we reflected on the steps we took to design a Youth Room shaped by the voices of young people themselves. From this, we developed a set of do’s and don’ts for others to follow, which we compiled into a practical toolkit. 

 

Our hope is that other organisations use this toolkit to discover what young people in their communities want from a safe space, considering key elements such as: 

 

 

After each round of research, we presented our findings and recommendations to a wide variety of stakeholders at numerous events. This included hosting our own successful stakeholder event at the Tigers Trust Arena. 

 

Through these efforts, we have built strong links with the Humber Violence Protection Partnership (VPP), who launched in 2022 to address and reduce serious violence across the Humber region. In March, two of our Peer Researchers presented at the Violence Reduction Unit Director’s Event, hosted by the Humber VPP. The event brought together representatives from across the country to discuss strategies for tackling serious violence. Their presentation was met with enthusiasm for the use of peer research and the amplification of young voices to drive change. 

 

This led to an invitation to speak at the Humber VPP annual conference in June. We presented to over 200 local professionals, policymakers, academics, and community leaders, contributing much-needed youth perspectives to the discussions. Our insights offered a fresh view on the issues addressed during the day. We were also able to share our Youth Voice and Youth Room toolkits with many organisations. 

 

Additionally, we welcomed a visit from the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison, who showed strong interest in our research and social action initiatives. Discussions focused on the need for more safe spaces for young people and the importance of including young voices in the design of these provisions. 

 

Being able to share our work with these audiences has been a major success of this programme, empowering young people to advocate for others on the issues that matter most to them.