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Second Wave
Start date: Jan 1, 2014,

'We want to change our neighborhood, by restoring the relation between us and the police. Why? Because we don't want to pass our feelings of hate to our younger brothers and sisters. They deserve a free and happy life in Antwerp.' This was one of the reasons why youth from Antwerp started last year with the first steps to change their neighborhoods and in particular to start up dialogues and 'debates in the neighborhoods' between them and the police. They made their own film about their life and shared this with their friends, parents, the local policy maker and some of the police in Antwerp. During this 'Wij(k) in Verandering project', funded by YiA, they created an open attitude among some police men in Antwerp and therefore they want to go on with this process. They want to deepen it and develop real changes and mutual understanding between them and the police. To achieve this they contacted another partner of IDEA in Gouda. Those Gouda youth and the police were improving the relationships after riots took place in this city. The method of Second Wave was succesfully used in this city. Meanwhile the Gouda youth were very interested in the Debate in the neighborhood approach in Antwerp. So an exchange took place and the Youth umbrella organisation KRAS decided with the youth to continue with this. It was a great achievement that the KRAS youth work even integrated this process of 'Wij(k) in Verandering' , with a focus on improved relations between the police and youth, in their long term strategy. At the other hand, the Gouda police was so enthousiastic about Second Wave methods, that they inspired the police in The Hague to start up a process like we have done in Gouda combined with debates in the neighborhoods and in the city, as we did in Antwerp. The Hague police recognised the problems as well and connected also Marrokaans Jongeren Geluid to this project, who are active in de Schilderswijk in The Hague. The police motivated already some of their youth to participate on this process. Both the youth and youth work and police in Antwerp as well as youth, youth organisation and the police in The Hague are interested to start up this (ex)change process. The final aim of this process will be that we would like to realise real change in the attitude of both groups- the youth and police- respecting each others dignity, human rights and freedom. We also would like to raise awareness among both groups about the legal rights of both and we want to ensure concrete actions defined in order to solve the identified problems. Finally, in both cities the youth and the police and IDEA have expressed their desire that this project will not be an isolated process, unseen by other relevant stakeholders such as parent organisations, youth (organisations) municipality, shop keepers etc. We would like to promote this approach to other neighborhoods in both cities. So, the youth and the police will be helped to get grip on this process and to link their learnings, recommendations and lessons learned to a wider network of relevant stakeholders. They will be helped in this by IDEA and two local organisations Uit de Marge in Antwerp and PEP in The Hague. Uit de Marge and PEP are so well connected to those city broad stakeholders that they will upscale the successes and lessons learned in order to ensure that the investments of the youth and police will be exported to other neighborhoods. The process will be documented in a way that it is attractive for other (young) people and therefore we will make sure that we work with creative methods to 'harvest' interesting processes and ideas. For instance we will make use of cartoons, short films, and log books. Exchanges, three days in total, between the youth of Antwerp and The Hague will support the young people to continue with this sometimes difficult process and to inspire each other, to have fun. During two days (afternoons) we will bring in the police and other relevant stakeholders as well in order to make the learning process deeper. So the project will last a year and three months. During the overall year Second Wave Sessions will be given 10 times in both cities. While working on their attitude, respect and a more conducive relationship with the police, the youth will also receive training and guideance to debate problems and to seek for realistic, lasting solutions. The youth will be aware about their obligations and rights and they will be enabled to identify their problems. IDEA trainers will facilitate this part of the process. The young people will feel safe enough to share those problems with the police and to debate realistic solutions. For instance, they don't know what are their rights and obligations, and how to approach the police if they have a complain about discrimination by a police. They could develop a roadmap together with the police to ensure that those complaints are taken serious and that the investments in an improved relationship continue when they meet each other later, outside on the street. This change will be up to the youth and this project willl give them the trust and inspiration and skills to realise this desired change. The youth have also the desire to create a 'healthy'neighborhood by organising sport games with the police, or by making a movie together, by having social events such as a barbeque. Simple activities that are only possible if they are able to create a common ground. And that is where this project focuses on.
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