Harehills ❤️ Love

A lot of blaming and finger-pointing occurs towards the young people in Harehills and around the area. And yet, time after time, we can see, hear and read about kids doing the most amazing things in the area.

So, I’m very excited to talk about a relatively new group, a new group seen out and about in the Strathmore’s and Bellbrooks doing a litter pick.

Now litter picks are neither new nor rare; council and other community group-led efforts are frequently happening (we are all thankful for). No, what’s different here is it’s a new group,  the Breaking Down Barriers project. It’s a lovely new organisation in the area.

Recently I’ve had a call with Adam Aslam Aslam, who has helped set up and support Breaking Down Barriers.

I learned that Breaking Down Barriers is a youth-led initiative whose aims are to tackle racial tensions among the young between the many groups that make up the area and put on creative activities that encourage cohesion and engagement, bringing young people together.

By youth-led, that really is how Breaking Down Barriers is set up. A steering committee of 13 to 19-year-olds (currently 12 young people but looking to grow to 15) meet once a month to decide on group activities and social action days, and other large projects that meet the group’s aims.

One of the groups current projects is a 10-week photography project that meets on Sunday afternoons where kids from all areas of Harehills gather together to capture images that showcase the region. This will culminate in an exhibition that will show life in Harehills and the artistic talent of these amazing kids.

Since September this year, breaking Down Barriers has hosted weekly drop-in sessions every Saturday at St Cyprian’s church, alongside regular activities, such as the current photography project every Sunday. Initially, the aim was to engage with around 25 young people each week and has 40 young people signed up, regularly engaging with 25 to 30 in groups.

Young people meet up to participate in activities and get to know each other, bringing together kids from all racial groups and from Harehills’ geographical areas. Hearing about how socialising and friendships are forming between young people that may not have interacted and engaged otherwise is genuinely inspiring.

I genuinely feel inspired by this group, and I hope you do too. Our youth organisations are a shining light and much needed. Gipton and Harehills is one of the youngest wards in the city, with over 10,000 up to the age of 19.  Groups like Breaking Down Barriers and community fill an essential function in providing services, education, and socialising – so I want to thank them all.

I also want to thank Adam Aslam, who has been working with young people for a long time in the area, and for the time he took to talk to me about this fantastic new initiative.

I’m not a journalist, so I encourage you to go out and learn about them yourselves. If you’re a young person looking to get involved with Breaking Down Barriers, the best thing to do is visit the Breaking Down Barriers Facebook group and/or email Adam at Adam@lmyf.org.uk.

It’s another fantastic example of how young people in Harehills and nearby areas can be genuinely inspiring, enthusiastic, and active in making the world a better place. Honestly, we should celebrate them more, so I’ll be doing another feature on Breaking Down Barriers in the New Year. In the meantime, go check them and their wonderful young people out.