Mother’s pride of son’s achievements thanks to Safer Streets Youth Listening project
A Nottingham mum says she has overwhelming pride in her son after he changed his outlook on life thanks to a pioneering project aimed at promoting youth voices.
Paula Lydamore explained how son Kyden, a year 10 student at Farnborough Spencer Academy in Clifton, had shown great improvement in his behaviour and general awareness since expressing his desire to take part in the project.
Students from Farnborough and Bulwell Academies embraced the Youth Listening Project, which was designed to connect with local young people to hear directly from them about how crime and antisocial behaviour impact their daily lives.
The project has given young people a platform to share their voices, strengthen relationships with Police, and contribute to meaningful changes in their communities.
It comes as part of partnership work between the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, Nottinghamshire Police and Nottingham Trent University.
Paula, who was speaking at the end of project celebration event held at the National Justice Museum in Nottingham, said: “I’m so, so proud of my son.
“He’s just come such a long way. He’s grown in confidence and really started putting himself out there.
“Every week I was getting a couple of calls from his teachers saying how much he was getting involved, so it’s been a great experience for him.
“It’s amazing to see him learning about who he is and who he wants to be. It puts a smile on my face every day.”
This work came after the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire has invested £333,000 in Nottingham City as part of the final round of Safer Streets projects.
The project reflects Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden’s commitment to working in partnership with schools, the Violence Reduction Partnership, and Nottingham Trent University to deliver safer streets and more inclusive communities.
Nottinghamshire’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Angela Kandola, who had the chance to speak to the students during the event, said: “The participation and feedback we have received from the young people involved in this project has been outstanding and will contribute to creating Safer Streets and public spaces in the Bulwell and Clifton areas.
“This innovative Youth Listening project has proven to be a fantastic way to work closely with young people over a sustained period to really understand the issues that they encounter and how we can address those issues as part of one team working for a common goal – to make Nottinghamshire a safe and enjoyable place for everyone.
“All of the feedback received is really valuable to the partners working in these areas and we will be taking this forward to come up with solutions based on the information you have given us.”
The Youth Leaders project involved Nottingham Trent University working closely with young people, youth workers, and parents/carers in various settings such as schools, youth clubs, and community centres.
The aim was to speak with hundreds of individuals from Clifton and Bulwell to understand their perspectives on local safety issues. This information then helped identify key areas that needed attention and how resources could best be used to make these neighbourhoods safer.
Tawanda Jamhare, whose son Denzel is a year nine student at Bulwell Academy, said: “I’ve seen a great improvement in Denzel, both in his behaviour and his involvement in things that are happening in the community.
“His awareness has improved and there is a big difference in the conversations we are having when it comes to subjects like drug abuse and street crime.
“As well as focusing on his school work, he is able to take note of what is going on around him, and that gives me great pride knowing that if he’s got the eyes and ears to spot what’s happening in the community, the future is good for him.
“I hope he is going to use what he has learnt and continue being a leader, while guarding himself against unnecessary distractions and being somebody who is useful in the community.”
By engaging with communities, the project aimed to develop practical ways to make streets safer and support young people in becoming active participants in shaping a safer environment.
Nottinghamshire Police’s City North Neighbourhood Inspector Paul Ferguson said: "Young people are the leaders of the future and by giving them a voice now, we are giving them a sense of pride in their communities which encourages them to make better choices.
“The young people have made suggestions about improvements in the area which we have been able to act upon.
“Policing is not just about fighting crime but also preventing crime and working with young people is a key priority for us as a force.
“I would like to thank all of the students involved for their enthusiasm and hard work throughout.”
Luke Parmenter, Collective Impact Manager at Nottingham Trent University, said: “We knew that by training and supporting young people to conduct peer research they would generate insights which we couldn’t have explored without them.
“An additional benefit is the impact on the young people and their leadership.
“With a project like this, we are able to build relationships with them and we’re able to train them to become listeners themselves and be critical.
“Our aim is to leave a lasting impact, and the legacy of this work is not just to lean on them to help us to understand, but also to enable them to become future leaders.”