The Shadow Games Project

This youth project is part of Second Wave’s ‘Prevent’ outreach programme. Delivered in collaboration with the Home Office (OSCT), Lewisham Crime Reduction Service, Metropolitan Police Service (Lewisham), local schools, colleges and community partners, it uses a drama based approach to tell the story of a teenage boy who is drawn into a world of extremism. He is influenced by an older man who encourages bloodshed and violence.

"Hit them where it hurts, then they listen…. you’re going to make history, Samuel…"

About the Play
17-year-old Samuel is a natural gamer. He can beat anyone on line and his ‘Black Ops’ scores are legendary. But, in his mind, Samuel is playing a different game – one where the stakes are high, for both him and his family. When a powerful new influence comes into his life, what happens when the fantasy of violence becomes a reality?

The Shadow Games project is designed for the 14 -18 year old age-group but is also suitable for inter-generational audiences. Interested in bringing our workshops and performances to your school or community centre? Please contact philturner@secondwave.org.uk for more information.

Feedback from some of our audiences

“An important subject - my students loved it”
“You could relate to the characters and see things from different perspectives”
“Inspiring performances by young people…"
"A powerful drama with a hint of humour"
"This work opens up an important discussion in a safe way for people of all ages…"

Second Wave’s Approach

At Second Wave we focus our efforts on strengthening the critical awareness of young people themselves – allowing them to arrive, in their own ways, at a balanced view of these issues – and using drama-based skills to achieve this. Our Shadow Games project is the result of these efforts – a positive contribution by young people to a wider ongoing debate in a play and workshop programme designed to open up discussion in a safe, youth-centred context.

Our youth-led outreach work includes: workshops, performances, community forums and debates which explore the power of ideas and the language of persuasion. Through narrative and counter-narrative, debate and discussion, we open up dialogue on what is extremism; how it presents itself; its cumulative impacts; and its range of consequences for different individuals, families and communities. Inevitably, this is a difficult subject to explore with young people. Complex ethical issues of culture, faith and trust underpin many of these difficulties. We develop collaboration with community partners to deliver this outreach work.

Our aims are to:

• Raise awareness and recognise the susceptibility of young people to ‘grooming’ and how they can be influenced or drawn into risk-taking situations by people they want to trust.
• Work from first-hand experience at a local level – finding ways of bringing people together – not pushing them further apart – in order to address issues of community cohesion.
• Acknowledge the reality of violence and the power of non-violence when communities feel divided against themselves, identifying significant links between victims and perpetrators of violence.
• Work together with young people, community organisations, faith groups, schools, colleges and other agencies – to protect shared values and establish strong local partnerships.
• Offer no simple answers – encouraging our audience to arrive at their own conclusions – raise their own questions and challenge ideas.
• Identify rights, responsibilities and freedoms of an inclusive community – and how citizens actively affirm these characteristics, individually and collectively, by contributing to the life of that community.

For more info click here

MY CITY REAL WORLD
Together in Europe, Rotterdam Conference 19, 20 November 2010
Led by young facilitators, the Second Wave team offered a series of practical workshops and presentations summarizing the five-year journey of Second Wave’s work in the Critical Encounters and how this work informed the concept and methodology behind the International Initiative, My City Real World, and inviting partners to discuss future collaborations between UK and Europe. The conference, organized by the International Debate Education Association in cooperation with the Open Society Youth Initiative, enabled different organizations to share ideas about successful projects focusing on the inclusion of marginalized, migrant and minority youth. For more info www.idebate.org/rotterdam2010/
MORE ABOUT SECOND WAVE'S INVOLVEMENT IN MY CITY REAL WORLD here.

StopWatch launched by Rev Jesse Jackson
King's College London
Monday 18 October 2010
READ THE REPORT here.

Joan Ruddock MP visits Second Wave

In October 2010 Joan Ruddock MP visited the centre and met young people, police officers and community representatives involved in ‘Critical Encounters’. Joan heard about the impact of the work from Lewisham’s Borough Commander, Jeremy Burton, community representatives, and young people, including students from Prendergast Ladywell Fields College. She was impressed by the impact of the programme and emphasised her support for the future development of ‘Critical Encounters’ both locally, and internationally.

BIG UP Kieza! Congratulations to Kieza Silveira de Sousa, elected Young Mayor of Lewisham for 2010-11. A well-known and respected member of Second Wave, Kieza will bring his dedication & creative skills to the role. For more info on Young Mayor scheme go to www.b-involved.org.uk From left to right: Jacob, Kieza, Lola and Jawan

SECOND WAVE AND THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE
MY CITY REAL WORLD
INTERNATI

WEEKEND EVENT
3 – 5 June 2010
FOR A REPORT OF THIS CONFERENCE PLEASE click here. 

REACHING COMMUNITIES 2009/10
YOUTH CREATIVITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE

SYMPOSIUM 'Working in partnership' 28 May 09 Lewisham Police Station 'I am continually inspired by the work of grassroots organisations, working to tackle our most deep rooted social problems' Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith In May 2009 2Wave Youth Outreach Team presented their creative work to an audience which included RT Hon Iain Duncan Smith, who chairs the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ). Martins Imhangbe, 18 year old member of the 2Wave Team said, 'our workshops allow the police to see where young people are coming from, and vice versa'. Mr Duncan Smith said, 'There is a good practice in Lewisham but not everywhere, and their good practice needs to be taken to other places'. 'Dying to Belong,' a report on young people and gangs by CSJ made recommendations that, 'the National Policing Improvement Agency develops a programme based on the excellent work being done by Second Wave'. They also commented that 'the relationship between third sector youth workers and young people is usually one of trust, and because the project is seen as independent from enforcement agencies, there is greater potential for collaboration with young people'. Author of the report Charlotte Pickles (CSJ), presented some of the research findings to guests who included officers of the council, police officers, community workers, and Geeta Subramaniam (Head of Crime Reduction Lewisham), David Michael (Chair of LCPCG) and Superintendent Lisa Crook, Terry O'Connor (TSG 4 ). Cheryl Brown, and Denise Dickenson (2Wave Trustees) thanked the Borough Police for providing their hospitality for the event.

Vs in the house

On 6 December 07, young volunteers hosted a visit from MP Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector. The young volunteers’ showcase included a Q&A session with the minister, performances by young artists, and presentations from the TSG (Territorial Support Group) demonstrating their pioneering work with Second Wave. Mr Hope was shown around Second Wave by workshop tutor Tori Taiwo. He said: "I am extremely impressed with the energy and enthusiam and delighted to see first hand the way you work with the police and produce inspiring performances..."

Summer Symposium

On 19 July 07 a Symposium co-hosted by Second Wave and TSG4 (Territorial Support Group) explored issues of Stop and Search. The theme Walk In My Shoes inspired the day’s presentations and performances, and raised the issue of negative stereotyping of police and young people. Workshop discussions opened up the issue of shared responsibility for community safety. The event was the culmination of two and a half years’ continuous work between Second Wave and TSG4. A further Symposium is planned for June 08. Above and below: workshops and presentations in role reversal with young people and police   ‘There’s a lot we can learn from the TSG, but a lot they can learn from us. We are only limited by the things we believe we cannot achieve’ Gordon Glean, Chair, Monitoring Sub Group, Stop & Search Conference Report, July 2007 'The TSG look forward to continuing our relationship with Second Wave to build on trust, understanding and forge new links in the community’ Chief Inspector Terry O’Connor, TSG4 Borough Commander Alan Pughsley with Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham   ‘A lot of young people out there don’t feel safe. It’s good to feel you can support other young people and be a role model for them’ Samina Jusu, Wave volunteer, aged 18 ‘I am pleased to be working with Second Wave to nurture young people to become reflective practitioner-researchers’ Dr Jill Jameson, who is working with Second Wave young artists on practice-based research 'Young people are leading the way in improving police and community relations and making a difference to people of all ages’ Phil Turner, Learning & Development Officer at Second Wave, with members of the Somali & Somaliland Lewisham Community Group (SSLC), who are working with Second Wave to build more positive relationships between young people and the police.