The Mayor of London's violence reduction director has praised initiatives in Enfield as making a positive difference to residents' lives.
Lib Peck, Director of the Mayor of London's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), visited the borough on 14 February to learn more about how it is tackling violence.
Enfield Council Leader, Cllr Nesil Caliskan, said: "We have invested significantly in youth services to reduce offending and give young people hope.
"The Council is proud of the best practice work being done in the borough and remains committed to working with the VRU, our community partners, the police and other agencies to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour."
Lib Peck said: "It was very interesting and positive to hear about Enfield's violence reduction programmes and to see the impact of the VRU fund in action.
"My visit to Enfield confirmed that there's lots of good practice going on in the borough which is making a positive difference to people's lives. London's VRU is uniquely placed to draw out good practice and initiatives from around the city and share the lessons across London."
Lib Peck led a delegation which met with representatives from initiatives based in Edmonton that had received funding from the VRU.
The initiatives included:
- The London Fire Brigade (LFB) Fire Cadets unit based at Edmonton Fire Station. The Fire Cadets programme helps 14-17 year-olds enhance their personal skills; build confidence; and develop transferable, practical skills for future training or employment (with LFB or elsewhere)
- The Enfield CCTV Centre which monitors cameras 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and has helped the police in their investigations, enabling many arrests and providing vital evidence for prosecutions
- Nexus, a Council initiative, which connects a range of community projects aimed at improving the wellbeing of parents and children. Projects include programmes to help reduce permanent exclusions from secondary schools; and targeted support for children most at risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system.