Lambeth launches campaign to challenge negative images

Lambeth Council this week launched a poster campaign, which aims to challenge research that shows the main factor causing local people to feel unsafe is "young people hanging around".

The campaign features Lambeth teenagers who may seem intimidating but are taking part in positive activities such as chairing the youth opportunity fund and training to be a childcare professional. The campaign points out that fewer than three per cent of Lambeth's young people are involved in crime.

Sixteen-year-old Oluwaseyi Ogunyemi was killed after he was stabbed several times on an estate in Lambeth last week.

John Readman, director of community learning at Lambeth Council, said: "We work with the police to deter people from violent crime to help prevent these sorts of tragic incidents in future. The reality is that a majority of young people don't get involved in crime which is why this campaign is so important - there are so many young people who want to do something positive in their community.

"We also want young people and parents to know there are hundreds of activities and courses they can get involved in to help them achieve their goals."

Jonathan Boreland, 18, who is featured on the posters, said: "The way young people are portrayed in the media at the moment you don't see many positive things - you do see when they commit crime but not when they get a good grade or help out a local church."

The campaign, which aims to drive visitors to the Young Lambeth website will include regular coverage of positive youth activities in council newspaper Lambeth Life and through social networking sites.