'Leaving the gang life behind'

posted by: Administrator

Volunteering, It’s been better than I expected.

Fola Odebunmi is currently working as a full-time Volunteer for CSV’s Young Hackney Volunteers Project. As a media manager on Young Hackney Volunteers Project, he is responsible for the selection of media team members, managing the media team, creation of materials, press and publicity for the project, web design and photography.

Fola started volunteering two years ago, speaking at numerous anti-gun and knife events around London. From this, he started working with troubled youths, young offenders and ex-gang members. As an ex-gang member himself, some of his time is spent volunteering at Croydon Youth Offending Team’s Pathways Project. This sees him working alongside London Metropolitan Police, speaking to young people at risk of joining the local gangs in that area. With his knowledge and experience, he is able to relate to the young people he works with, encouraging positive thought, which leads to positive and productive actions. Overall, volunteering on the Pathways Project allows Fola to share his experiences with these young people, deter them from criminal activity and show them there is an alternative way of life to being in a gang or being gang-affiliated. 

Here Fola, tells Young Hackney what he got out of the project and his plans for the future:

How did you get involved in CSV?

I once had a university project, that I chose to base on knife crime and this led me to contact a number of organisations to find out what they were trying to do to combat this issue.

Why did you volunteer?

Volunteering gave me an outlet to give back, and to use my experience to help youth so that other young people won’t make the same mistakes I made. Furthermore, through volunteering, I hope to share my insights on how to actually leave the gang life behind and move on to positive and better things.

What part of the experience do you enjoy the most?

To see young people making positive choices in life and bettering themselves in many ways. 

What did you expect?

It’s been better than I expected, it’s been very rewarding. 

What are you doing now?

I am working at CSV as the media manger on the Young Hackney Volunteers project and I still work with Croydon’s Young Offenders Team in my spare time.

What do you hope to get out of this?

As well as impacting change and giving back to my community I would also like to use the skills gained while volunteering to gain paid employment.

Where would you like to go from here?

I’d like to run projects for troubled youths, where they can express their views on the gang culture in London today, but through the medium of graphic design. (The image on this apge is a self portait by Fola)

• For more information about the CSV media project contact Mira Ruskin, Young Hackney Volunteers Project Manager
• Tel: 020 8510 4906
• Email: mruskin@springboardlc.org.uk