About Graham Miller, CEO of London City Mission
London City Mission (LCM) stands shoulder to shoulder with the Ascension Trust, COGOP, CTBI and Southwark Diocese in our determination to tackle serious youth violence through the Synergy Network.
‘LCM’s youth workers regularly face the knock-on effects of assaults, knife crime and alienation among young people, while continuing to hold out the good news of peace and reconciliation in Jesus Christ.
‘LCM knows that the solution is to work together. Working with young people, churches, Christian agencies and government, we can build a momentum across London to root out the causes of youth violence. We know this will take time. But by bridging boundaries and divides we aim to bring hope and set out a better and more lasting way to live.
‘The Synergy Network’s website gathers information both for practitioners and for people wanting to get involved. It facilitates different groups working together, and new groups starting to tackle youth violence. It highlights good practice and equips young people, youth workers and church leaders among others. It can provide a united voice for the numerous local churches wanting to act. It may provide encouragement and vision for government, and roll out government resources in turn.
‘At LCM we believe we need to be committed to tackling serious youth violence, and courageous in addressing it. No one group can do it alone. But by caring enough for both victims and perpetrators, our young people and our future, we have to act, together.
