23/10/2025
We’ve been deeply moved by the visit from our partners at Kingsway Community Connections (KCC) in Glasgow, who share our heartbreak and determination in the wake of the tragic loss of 15-year-old Amen Teklay.
Though our communities in Brixton and Glasgow are separated by distance, we face the same painful realities – young lives cut short, families grieving, and community organisations pushed to their limits.
Together with KCC, we’re calling for urgent, coordinated action from both the UK and Scottish governments to protect young people and invest in long-term solutions that bring real, lasting change.
Our joint statement outlines four clear priorities for action:
🔹 Leadership and Responsibility – Establish a dedicated body to engage directly with grassroots organisations, ensuring national strategies are shaped by lived experience.
🔹 A Public Health Approach – Address violence as a public health issue, tackling trauma, poverty, inequality, and deprivation at their roots.
🔹 Sustained Investment – End short-term, under-resourced approaches and commit to long-term support that provides stability, hope, and opportunity.
🔹 A National Framework, Locally Driven – Set strong national standards while empowering local communities to design and deliver their own strategies.
This call is not just from MLCE and KCC – it comes from young people, families, and communities across the UK who are demanding safety, justice, and change.
The time for short-term fixes has passed. Lasting change must begin now.
