PRESS RELEASE
30/08/11 – For immediate release
How young people are using football to rebuild Tottenham
In response to the riots, young people from across Haringey are using football as a vehicle for rebuilding Tottenham and improving youth, community and police relations.
Youth-led grass roots group Haringey Young People Empowered (HYPE) funded by Haringey Community and Police Consultative Group, will be holding its 4th annual HYPE unity football tournament on Saturday, September 3, 2011.
The tournament will also serve as a public consultation with the young people to consult their views on:
- The causes of the riots
- Police powers and relations
- Solutions and directions for change
The tournament will also run sessions introducing young people to stop and search legislation and literature, how young people can be a part of local decision-making and will be running with the support of the Haringey Community & Police Consultative Group and Haringey Safer Neighbourhood to unite all sides of the community who have a part to play in Tottenham’s rebuilding – the community, young people and the police.
Symeon Brown, a HYPE member, said:
“We have been very fortunate to have had great success over the year with engaging young people. We have some amazing stories where the tournament has broken down barriers between young people from every area of Haringey and young people and the authorities”.
“Last year, our tournament was played in memory of Godwin Lawson whose young life was tragically cut short after being stabbed to death in Hackney, calling for peace on the streets. Godwin had been part of our previous projects”.
“This year we felt it was so important that, in the wake of the riots, we addressed the subject with our young people, really listen and try to inspire positive action at the same time”.
“HYPE has always been about young people being HYPE (a street colloquialism for excited and manic) about changing their community”
How the tournament works:
The tournament is for 15 to 18-year-olds and invites young people from across Haringey to submit a 5-a-side football team.
When teams get knocked out they are offered a chance to have a chance to re-enter if they are willing to form a new team made up of people from different parts of Haringey.
This feature of the tournament attempts to tackle postal code rivalry by encouraging friendships across postal code boundaries to be built.
The event will feature a number of guest speakers, food and entertainment.
Notes to editors:
1. HYPE was founded in 2007 by three young people: Symeon Brown, Saba Kerr-Armstrong and Janay Cochrane to tackle postcode rivalries and improve youth and police relations
2. For more information email hype_youth@hotmail.co.uk or call Erika Lopez on 07506342547
3. Location: Perth Road Playing Fields, off White Hart Lane, N22, between 10am and 4pm
4. Hype in the Media:
Haringey Young People Empowered [HYPE] is a youth movement in North London founded in 2007 by a group of teenagers from across Haringey We are a positive cartel of young people from 13-23 from who are here to change, first our estate, then the city, then our world. We are HYPE for the right reason.
Via Symeon Brown.
Follow @SymeonBrown on Twitter
