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Escape Youth Project is the brain child of former Croydon students Andre Hackett and Richard Abiona.听 In its second year, the scheme which operates over the summer holidays worked with young people aged 11 to 15 from around the Mitcham area.

This year saw around 70 young people taking part in a series of music, dance and drama workshops.听 The aims of the project according to its organisers are to provide an alternative to gang culture and 鈥渉elp young people take advantage of the opportunities they have here鈥�.

caring for others

The teenagers also helped raised money for the Wood Worlds Missions particularly supporting a charity for other young people in Ghana.

鈥淥ur slogan is young people help ourselves by helping others鈥�, says Andre who visited Ghana earlier in the year to see how effective last year鈥檚 contributions were.

鈥淚t was a life changing experience, we've come back different鈥�, he says.

Andre Hackett & Rev. Dr Mercy Wood

"The efforts of Andre, Richard and the 70 young people who took part in the project is a real example that there are positive youths around", says the Rev. Dr Mercy Wood of Wood World Missions.

鈥淚t was awesome, she continues: "Escape Youth, as you see are trying to raise money to help the youth in Ghana 鈥�. It鈥檚 so good for youth in this country because many of the young people only hear that they are useless so it鈥檚 good to see some young people like this doing something to help other young people somewhere where they have no opportunities鈥�.

not all bad

Local MP for Mitcham Siobhain McDonagh was present as the young people put on their show.听 鈥淚t gives the lie to the idea that all young people are bad 鈥�. They've been great鈥�

For the young people it was a resounding success:

鈥淚t keeps us off the streets and gives us something to do during the holidays鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 been quite good enabling me to do stuff during the summer鈥�

"It鈥檚 been really important last year I was one of the kids this year I'm volunteering and it鈥檚 nice to see what difference we make and we actually do change their minds and influence them鈥�

Check out the full interview with Andre and Rev Dr Wood.听 Hear what the young participants had to say alongside MP Siobhain McDonagh by clicking on to links below: