Gipton Together is a community group which was set up in 2003. Our aim is to tackle anti-social behaviour and help reduce crime in the area through providing good quality youth work. Many of the young people hang out on the streets with nothing to do and nowhere to go in the evenings. We felt it was a problem that only the community could solve, so we set up Gipton Together so that we could provide our young people with the positive activities they wanted.

Young people need a safe space to go in the evenings and through our arts and sports projects they are less likely to get involved in anti-social behaviour. The Karate club, for instance, helps young people improve their self-discipline and teaches them to express themselves in a more positive way. Through working together with us they become more aware of how to manage their own health.

The young people say they feel more supported, less isolated and less frightened by anti-social behaviour. Taking part in our projects mean that they become confident about speaking out, expressing their opinions and are more able to think through and find solutions to problems. By developing a more positive outlook they see themselves becoming employed because of the many new skills they gain.