This meeting included an update on the Council’s response to the Inquiry Report of the Relationship Between Black Boys and the Borough Scrutiny Commission, as well as reports on the inequality, disproportionality and inequity that young black boys and men experience in the borough. The meeting also included discussion on what Newham Council is doing to empower young black men, reduce their involvement in the criminal justice system, and promote targeted and universal youth provision. The meeting closed with a discussion on Newham's Young People’s Charter¹.

The Council's response to the Scrutiny Commission Inquiry report

The report pack contains the Executive response to the report of the scrutiny commission that was due to be considered.

The response summarises the findings of the scrutiny commission, which concluded:

Over the last 40 years’ generations of young Black boys and men have continued to experience significant challenges than their peers. This begins early within their home and the experience of poverty to significant impacts on their mental health in later years. As well addressing critical life stages in these young men’s lives, we also need to consider the great divide that must be bridged with an improvement in the relationships between young Black boys and men and the police and local authorities. Systemic and structural challenges in relation to these young people have not only existed over a long period of time but they run deep and have become embedded into a negative narrative in our society. The solution to this must lie in what we do – the action moving forwards but also in addressing the things that we should stop doing. This is part of having difficult conversations to break with the old and navigate into the new.

The response goes on to provide the Mayor and Cabinet's response to the twelve recommendations made by the Inquiry report. It lists which recommendations have been accepted, partially accepted and not accepted, and provides a detailed explanation of what the council is doing to address each of the recommendations.

Inequality, inequity and disproportionality experienced by young Black boys and men

The report pack contains a report that was due to be discussed. The report provides an overview of the Council's work on tackling inequalities, including its statutory responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010², and its corporate commitment to building a fairer Newham.

In particular, the report is due to discuss the Council's definition of structural and systemic inequality and the implications of this for young Black men in the borough. It was also scheduled to discuss the Council's new Equity model³, and how the Commission on the Future of Inclusion and Belonging in Multi-Ethnic Newham⁴ intends to address these.

The report was scheduled to discuss the use of data and lived experience to inform policy across the council's services. It includes an update on recent research undertaken on behalf of the Council, including the Kailo Programme⁵, the Newham Young Black Men’s Leadership and Engagement Programme, and the Health Equity discovery and pilot project.

The report also contains a detailed analysis of the representation of different ethnicities and genders in the Council workforce, and summarises the key issues and challenges related to staff turnover at Newham Council.

Youth empowerment, youth justice, targeted and universal youth provision

The report pack contains a report that was due to be considered. This report details the work of the Council's Youth Empowerment Service, and the Youth Justice Service in supporting young Black boys in the borough.

The report pack highlights Newham Council's commitment to providing safe spaces, role models, and opportunities for young Black boys. It provides data on the proportion of Black boys involved in the Youth Justice Service caseload (45.4% of cases against 23% of the youth population), and the proportion of cases of reoffending involving Black boys (60% against an average of 55% for the last four years).

The report provides a number of case studies and examples of work in the borough, including: the Today Not Tomorrow Youth Citizens Assemblies, the C.R.I.B Youth Assembly (Culture, Race, Identity and Background), the Under What Power youth group, the Stratford Youth Zone boys group, the West Silvertown Foundation Summer scheme, the Shipman Youth Zone EXPAND programme, and the Youth Empowerment Service Detached Youth Work team.

The report highlights the need for the Youth Empowerment Service to reflect Newham's communities. It provides data on the proportion of service users and youth work practitioners that come from Black and Global Majority communities.

The report was due to discuss the various training programmes that the Council provides for its youth workers, including the JNC recognised qualification in youth work, the National Youth Agency's online training offer, and training on trauma informed practice, extended safeguarding, mental health first aid and disability awareness.

The Young People's Charter

The report pack contains a report on Newham's Young People's Charter that was due to be considered. The Charter is a document that was co-produced with young people in the borough and published in 2022. It sets out 11 principles that Newham Council has pledged to use when making decisions about policies and services that relate to young people.

The report provides an overview of the work that has been done to implement the Charter, and details the Council's plans for the future of the Charter. This includes using it as part of the Council's One Borough Newham Partnership⁶, which will be launched in January 2025. The report highlights the recent use of the Charter by the Children's Society to help the UK Youth Parliament engage young people in the borough.