The Synergy Network (SN) is a coalition of churches and para-church organisations committed to tackling serious youth violence (SYV). The SN works with key organisations through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which captures the essence of its relationship – focusing on roles, responsibilities, governance, accountability, best practice and financial arrangements. To date, this includes the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI), the Diocese of Southwark and London City Mission. The MOU also provides guidelines for other organisations that may wish to join SN.
Its modus operandi is to:
•Raise awareness among churches, para-church groups and individual (Christians) of serious youth violence and encourage them to work together to address this issue.
•Resource those with a desire to engage in activities to combat SYV by encouraging conversations between churches and practitioners.
•Help the Church speak with one voice on this issue as well as facilitate links between them and Government, civil society organisations and others.
Things we have achieved
SN hosted a virtual youth practitioners event on 22 June 2020 bringing together organisations and individuals who have been working with vulnerable young people, to speak about their experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown.
We have hosted several strategy meetings with practitioners and church leaders. We have had meetings with Home Office personnel to seek their plans for tackling SYV. We have had successful events inviting practitioners and young people to come together and address issues of trauma caused by violence. Each year for the Standing Together Sunday Service, we encourage churches in the UK to dedicate part of their service to pray for our youth and against violence and we offer materials/videos that they can use in their sermon if they do not want to use their own material.
This is our forward plan
We want to maintain regular communication with officials from the Home Office in relation to SYV. We will continue to reach out to the public via events, strategy meetings and supporting other member’s events to address issues concerning youth violence. We continue to welcome anyone interested in youth work and combatting youth crime to join our network of supporters.
The Synergy Network recognises that combatting SYV will take many years and that all responses must have a ‘short’, ‘medium’ and ‘long’ term approach. We can only end SYV by working together. Whether you’re not sure what to do, or want to work alongside those who are doing this, please contact us here to join with us.
Revd Canon Steve Coulson
St Mark’s Kennington
Les Isaac
President of Ascension Trust
Graham Miller
CEO of London City Mission
Richard Reddie
Director of Justice and Inclusion, CTBI
Bishop of Southwark
