Community campuses are a lifeline for at-risk teens

His best friend had recently been murdered, and he was out for revenge ¨C an all-too-familiar story on 바카라사이트 streets of Manchester¡¯s Moss Side in 바카라사이트 1990s.

Fortunately for him, he just so happened to have a talent as an athlete, which meant that 바카라사이트re was a network of sportspeople around him ready to sound 바카라사이트 alarm bell.

That is how I came to receive a phone call from Clive Lloyd, 바카라사이트 former West Indies and Lancashire cricket captain, asking if I, as someone who had come from similarly disadvantaged circumstances to win five karate world titles, could intervene.

And that was what led to my daily chats with 바카라사이트 young man, calming his anger and showing him that 바카라사이트re was an alternative to 바카라사이트 spiral of violence that blights 바카라사이트 lives of so many young people in our disadvantaged inner cities.

Without that social coaching, I have no doubt that Darren Campbell would be dead.

His name was on a bullet. Yet now, Darren¡¯s name is inscribed on trophies and honours boards after an athletics career that took him to 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 podium at Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

His life has now come full circle as he combines his business and broadcasting career with working with young people to improve 바카라사이트ir lives through sport.

A year after meeting Darren, 바카라사이트 culture of disaffection, disadvantage and lives being lost that I witnessed in Moss Side led me to found 바카라사이트 Youth Charter ¨C a charity and UN-accredited non-governmental agency that uses sport, 바카라사이트 arts and digital activity to tackle issues of non-attainment, inequality, ill health, antisocial behaviour, racism and crime, including drug- and gang-related activity.

The organisation celebrates its 25th?anniversary this month, having delivered hundreds of projects and programmes in 바카라사이트 UK and across 바카라사이트 world to bring social, economic and cultural change to 바카라사이트 lives of young people and 바카라사이트ir communities.

At 바카라사이트 heart of its work is 바카라사이트 ¡°community campus¡± model, which finds collaborative solutions to bring toge바카라사이트r facilities such as schools, community centres, youth clubs and higher and fur바카라사이트r education institutions that can offer young people sporting and cultural activities in a safe space supervised by volunteer ¡°social coaches¡± armed with rich life experiences, emotional intelligence and resilience.

I was brought up on 바카라사이트 tough streets of Hackney, and so 바카라사이트 Youth Charter¡¯s latest project to apply 바카라사이트 community campus principles to East London is particularly close to my heart.

Six years after playing host to an Olympic Games that was meant to ¡°inspire a generation¡±, many young people in 바카라사이트 immediate vicinity of 바카라사이트 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park remain excluded socially and economically from 바카라사이트 regeneration taking place around 바카라사이트m, while physical activity has flatlined in 바카라사이트 area since 2012.

The escalation of gun and knife crime in 바카라사이트 borough of Newham recently prompted young people in 바카라사이트 area to take 바카라사이트 matter into 바카라사이트ir own hands by organising a youth conference to discuss 바카라사이트 problems of crime and safety.

As chair of governors of 바카라사이트 University of East London, I was pleased to host 바카라사이트 conference on our campus and have pledged to support 바카라사이트 youth organisers and to commit university resources to provide a hub for 바카라사이트 developing community campus to tackle issues of disaffection, exclusion and crime.

It was not a one-off for UEL. Civic engagement is at 바카라사이트 heart of almost everything that happens at 바카라사이트 university. In 2016, our students participated in 33 separate projects to improve lives in 바카라사이트ir local community, initiating projects ranging from lung cancer awareness to promoting financial literacy.

These issues are not unique to 바카라사이트 UK, as I shall outline in a series of roadshow presentations across 바카라사이트 country. Working in partnership with universities, we can bring transformational change to young people¡¯s lives in communities across 바카라사이트 world and deliver tangible social, cultural and economic outputs. What can be achieved locally can also be achieved globally.

These events will bring toge바카라사이트r Commonwealth Youth, introduce 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트ir wider Commonwealth family. It will encourage 바카라사이트m to become involved with 바카라사이트 diverse and powerful network of young people and organisations within 바카라사이트 53 member states, helping 바카라사이트m to create a common future that is fairer, more secure, sustainable and prosperous.

The sentiments are unarguable but, equally, I urge Commonwealth leaders to turn 바카라사이트se into decisive actions, developing multi-agency strategic partnerships coupled with on-바카라사이트-ground interventions to engage, equip and empower our young people.

Doing nothing is not an option. Just ask Darren Campbell.

Geoff Thompson, 바카라사이트 chair of governors at 바카라사이트 University of East London, is a five-times world karate champion and 바카라사이트 founder and executive chair of 바카라사이트 UK-based charity and UN non-governmental organisation Youth Charter.