Project 2020 in Tottenham, north London, has gone from strength to strength since it was short-listed in the grassroots excellence category of the Guardian's public services awards last year. The initiative, originally a pilot project run by Homes for Haringey to boost the aspirations of disengaged young people who are not in education, employment or training, has now become a core service and is written into the organisation's business plan.
New partnerships between the social housing organisation, its borough council and social enterprises have blossomed, leading to the creation of a new music studio for young people and also a local academy to train apprentices in construction skills.
At the same time the project, established in a district with one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the country and a strong street gang culture, is reaching out to more young people. There is now an evening homework club for 11- to 16-year-olds and a weekday coffee morning aimed at young parents to help boost their employment skills. There's also a regular job club where young people are given help with completing application forms, writing letters and interview techniques.
Project director Chinyere Ugwu is quick to list the individual success stories of young people in the last 12 months who have either gone into full employment or are acquiring new skills to put them on the road to work. They become role models for others who realise what can be achieved, she says.
Ugwu says: "Young people want to improve themselves if they are given the opportunity. For me it's all about progression – what are the opportunities they can have now to improve themselves so that in two years' time they will be in training and in the third year they will be qualified to do something.
"Sustainable engagement is key. They come into the centre and gain our trust; they may have been disappointed before but it doesn't matter because there is still a way and a chance. That is our ethos."
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