A new project aimed at reducing serious youth violence through faith communities, was launched by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and the region’s Faith Alliance at the annual Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan.
The project, called the Faith Alliance Roadshow, will deliver training to young people in places of worship, focusing on helping them become leaders within their faith communities.
It promises to bring young people of different beliefs together to promote unity and understanding by giving them various platforms and opportunities to share their ideas, experiences and dreams for a better future.
It will also link them with community projects and encourage conversations between different faith groups.
The training will be delivered by young leaders on the Changemakers programme, which aims to support young people in bringing about positive tangible change in their communities.
The Police and Crime Commissioner joined the Sikh religious procession on 18th May with members of the Violence Reduction Partnership’s Faith Alliance. This was in collaboration with the youth led My Tomorrow campaign, to launch the roadshow.
The Faith Alliance is a network of over 400 members from different faith groups working together to reduce violence in the region. The My Tomorrow campaign empowers young people to voice their ideas and concerns to build a safer future.
The Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, said: “It was an honour to join the annual Nagar Kirtan and to be able to launch the new Faith Alliance roadshow.
“We have not done something this big in the faith space before and I am confident the efforts of everyone involved will result in our young people feeling listened to, valued and positive about their future.
“I am pleased to be supporting the launch of this new Project. Preventing and tackling youth violence and keeping our young people safe is a top priority.
“I am delighted that we were able to take part in this brilliant day focused on celebrating unity, kindness and community.”
Rev Dr Carver Anderson, one of the many faith leaders participating in the initiative, believes young people have a crucial role to play.
He said: “This roadshow is about bringing communities together.
“These are difficult but necessary conversations, and we must go to where the young people are, rather than waiting for them to come to us.
“We must earn their trust, something I’ve worked hard to do over the years.”
The procession was a celebration of Vaisakhi, an important date in the Sikh calendar.
Nagar Kirtan involves singing hymns through the streets and represents the outreach of Sikh teachings into the broader community to encourage peace, interfaith dialogue and reduce tensions and fear.
Starting in Handsworth, it made its way through to Smethwick with a number of stops along the way.
