2. Promise was elected team leader for the group and has developed some excellent skills through the
programme; she was able to demonstrate an understanding of the need to listen to the project
group, ensure everyone contributed, compare and ‘stress-test’ ideas before seeking agreement on
the decisions made. Promise took responsibility in her stride and used her confidence, organisational
skills and planning abilities to good effect, delivering an excellent programme that engaged
members of different local gangs, dealt with challenging issues such as young people carrying
weapons and challenges of leaving gangs. She engaged with young people, local newspapers and
also organised the attendance of Sophie Linden (Hackney Counsellor) at one of the events.
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Promise demonstrated a natural flair for planning and programming. Her personal time management but
also an insightful understanding of how long a task will take and therefore what order things should be
done in, including marketing, advertising, networking, invitations of both political representation and
young people meant that the events were well attended, respectful, safe and valuable.
An example of the level of detail Promise understood in terms of ‘risk’ was the attendance of gang
members of potentially rival gangs arriving wearing ‘colours’ and carrying weapons; to this end, early, firm
and clear communication was given and repeated about the house rules and as such, ‘Project Bandana’
went smoothly with excellent feedback from Young People, Parents and the local Counsellor alike.
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Patience has a deep level of empathy demonstrated in her understanding of the profound impact
of the challenges, pressures and problems created by gangs in Hackney; speaking to parents, young
people, gang members and local adults, Patience built up a strong understanding of the various
issues and how they affect different people in the community. Her empathy and strong feelings
drove her to tackle a tough issue and her maturity and self-confidence enabled the group and her
to provide a platform for local people to discuss their views and concerns openly, in a safe and
secure environment.