Hard work reveals the true character of people- some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses and some don't turn up at all.
Joined August 2015
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Another young victim brutalised on our streets. Another soon-to-be-forgotten casualty of our "peace" - when gunmen roam freely and carry out these barbaric acts then we have not transitioned. They control communities, they exploit communities, they protect only their interests. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Another young man brutalised, with all the hallmarks of a paramilitary-style human rights abuse. Gunmen 'randomly' on the street - were they waiting for him or arranged to meet him there in a premeditated organised attack? This is control, not protection.
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjr4…
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More than a decade after @Education_NI committed the funds for capital works at Ardoyne YC. A huge dereliction of duty which is failing hundreds of children and young people. Disgraceful.
This needs an immediate resolution. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Yet again, our deteriorated building has let us down. The outdated internal drainage system felt the impact of storm Bert and this was the consequences. We have to replace floors,dry out skirting, throw water damaged equipment out so the financial implications are frightening.
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The brutality inflicted by self-appointed judge, jury & executioners must end. These aren't about protecting communities - they're about control. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
The reality of how criminal gangs, using paramilitary labels to justify their existence, hold communities to ransom - using attacks to ensure their controls exist & maintain their status. Making money by exploiting through fear & intimidation.
Together, we must call for an end.
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Along with the other members of StopAttacks, I have been vocal and consistent about these all-too-common abuses. Lives destroyed. Families traumatised. Areas living in fearful watchfulness. There are no place for these attacks in 2024. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Our campaign's contributor on this morning's @BBCNolan highlighting the brutal reality of these barbaric attacks. Blatant human rights & child abuses. Carried out by those who want to keep their power and control over their areas. Together we need civic courage to call these out.
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Unbelievably poor language to describe the trauma of someone callously shot several times during a home invasion. Weak language fuels an unresponsive system. Weak language facilitates the culture that violent human rights abuses are just "what happens here". – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Use of 'soft' language around these human rights abuses only contributes to playing down their brutality & significant traumatic impacts. The more our language fails to speak of abuse, coercive control & devastating trauma, then the longer these attacks remain part of our fabric.
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Never been a more deserving recipient. @ConorLargey is an amazing youth worker that I've had the honour of supporting over the years. I hope that I've played some small role in nurturing his talents and skills.
A fantastic achievement for him personally but also for @YouthHoly. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
All at YWA extend our congratulations to Conor Largey, Senior Youth Worker of our member organisation @YouthHoly in Belfast, for this fantastic achievement.
Youth Work changes lives.
@eayouthservice @Ed_Authority @Education_NI @UlsterUniCYW @TNLComFundNI @ETI_news
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Totally disgusting that a full 30 years after the ceasefires that criminal gangs, still using the paramilitary labels of convenience, exert threat and coercive control over communities. We need to collectively speak out in defence of those being persecuted.
This unfortunate victim's wording is wholly accurate when she refers to "criminal gangs". These threats are not about protecting a community or any political ideology - they are about control and domination. As one voice, we need to totally condemn the existence of these gangs.
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Everywhere else, there is revulsion and outright condemnation of gangland shootings, beatings & attacks. Here, they're just part of our twisted fabric of "peace times".
Facilitated by gangsters exerting control over areas to meet their own objectives. Don't accept - speak out.
Another paramilitary-style human rights abuse carried out last night in Bangor.
Another victim brutalised. Another life deeply impacted. Another community living under the control and exploitative influence of criminals, who claim to be protecting them.
belfastlive.co.uk/news/north…
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We have a choice. Accept these as 'just a flaw in our peace' or we collectively outrightly condemn them for what they are - human rights abuses used to maintain control of communities. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
From April 10th, 1998, to February 14th, 2023, there were 3,260 paramilitary style attacks identified by the PSNI. This includes 1,196 republican attacks and 2,064 loyalist PSAs. This equates to 1,369 shootings and 1,891 paramilitary style assaults
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Great to attend this event yesterday to hear an update on the action plan to address CCE. Positive step to hear that paramilitary criminal gang recruitment & radicalisation of minors is framed very much under exploitation & that pursuit of offenders is a priority.
@StopAttacks1 – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Yesterday, our Senior Youth Officer was delighted to join @YouthActionNI's deputy CEO & a range of statutory bodies at the @safeguardingni 'Child Criminal Exploitation' workshop & to hear of how the cross-departmental action plan on CCE has been developed & will progress.
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This half-hour piece captures some of the key underlying issues relevant to the human rights abuses still blighting our communities. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Have a listen to the first 30 minutes for a quality examination of paramilitary attacks. #stopattacks
bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001zf…
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Collectively, as citizens, we need united condemnation of all abuses of children, no matter who they are perpetrated by. There is no cause that justifies this in a peaceful society. Those who carried out Monday's attack on a 16 year old boy are child abusers. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
Premeditated human rights abuses continuing across region. Now research showing 45% of children & young people are impacted by the continued presence of gangs, who use the paramilitary flags of convenience to convince areas they are being protected. In reality it's exploited.
Week began with vicious & barbaric human rights abuse in Bushmills, where a paramilitary crime gang nailed their victim to a fence. Week ends with this article outlining the impact of gangs across the region, 26 years into peace. We call for leadership.
belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/…
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This is barbaric. It's inhumane. It's sadistic.
Furthermore, it's not the peace we were promised. It's well past the time that today's gangs, masquerading behind their paramilitary titles and flags of convenience, left the stage.
This is not 'punishment' - this is dominance.
Makes you wonder if any agency is fully reviewing this wee guy's past. Is he an adult at-risk? If not, are the systems that define this effective & practical? At what age did any coercion or grooming begin? Just because someone is 19 doesn't mean that they don't need protected. – at Crawfordsburn, Northern Ireland
A 19 year old with drugs of that value is not flying solo. He has been coerced, groomed, manipulated, or enslaved by his circumstances. Yet, our first port of call is to criminalise him. Many like him end up with criminal records whilst owing a gang the value of what was seized.
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Timely & brave leadership from the Children's Commissioner on this. If this were a case of adults grooming & coercing children into sexual as opposed to criminal activity, there would rightly be outrage & revulsion. Abuse takes many different forms but it's still abuse.
Strong leadership from @ChrisNICCY on this. "We need to call this out for what it is - child abuse."
Now we urgently need to implement the statutory frameworks to address it & to protect children from coercion & grooming into violence, or we will see this again & again. #CCE
How can we protect children from coercive control? How do we protect them from being exploited, radicalised and groomed? Or is this just something else we tolerate as a peaceful society?
Young people actively coerced into criminal behaviour on our streets. Adults actively grooming young people into violence. This is child abuse. We need the civic courage to call this out and need statutory authorities to act robustly in addressing this. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c03r…
Young people enslaved by debt are victimised further & suffer coercive control, physical & sexual abuse & the paralysing continued threats of further abuse. In 2023, this is the normal in so many neighbourhoods. How do we continue to fail them so badly? By inaction or ignorance?
The @BBCSpotlightNI programme again highlighted the intricate links between paramilitary gangs & organised crime; also highlighting the recurring theme of non-payment of drug debts leading to coercive control or being beaten/shot. When will we see robust action against abusers?
What we must also bear in mind is that these figures are only reflective of reported attacks. How many have felt too scared to tell the truth about injuries due to the 'status' of the perpetrators? Abusers operating under paramilitary flags and trappings to conceal themselves. – at Belfast, Northern Ireland
These human rights abuses continue to be the exertion of power & control within communities. These aren't about ideology - they are how criminal gangs maintain a grip a full 26 years after our peace agreement. We need a robust strategy to end this scourge & effectively safeguard
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The God of youth work - such an inspiration not only to me but the thousands of UU students Sam inspired. A true living legend in our field.
The reflections of our Chairperson, Sam McCready, on the impact of youth work as part of @UlsterUniCYW 50th anniversary.
#YouthWorkWorks
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