The initiative, being run in Southwark, Newham and Ealing, will see groups of around 15 to 20 police officers involved in sessions delivered by young people.
Safer London Foundation, which is running the pilots alongside the Metropolitan Police, hopes to expand the initiative across London should it prove successful.
The training, which is likely to get under way in November, will be designed to encourage police officers to listen to the concerns of young people and understand how relations can be improved in communities.
The concept is based on the findings of a poll of 1,000 young people commissioned by Safer London Foundation. It found half of young people questioned in London, 47 per cent of those questioned in Manchester and 46 per cent of those questioned in Birmingham believe relations between young people and the police are negative.
However, 80 per cent said that if police had a better understanding of issues affecting young people it might help improve relationships.
Rena Sodhi, chief executive of Safer London Foundation, said the hope is to expand a permanent training programme across London, which would share young people’s experiences with the police and vice versa.
“The idea is to have a bit of communication and for a police officer to get to see what a young person’s day looks like," she said.
"There is a real lack of understanding on both sides. The pilot schemes will undoubtedly be challenging for both officers and young people, as they will tackle preconceptions that may have been built up over time.
"However if they succeed and begin the process of building mutual trust, the benefits for generations of police and young people could be priceless.”
The concept has been backed by the man who set up the Safer School Partnership, Inspector Andy Briers.
He said the scheme will allow young people to raise issues that matter to them and can be an effective tool in improving relations.
However he stressed that police have a duty to follow through on any agreed recommendations emerging from the process, or risk invalidating it.
“If young people suggest things that are realistic and achievable and you sign up to them, then you must follow them through,” he said.
“If they come up with a set of recommendations and six months down the line you have reneged on them, you are in a worse position than being back to square one.”
