VIEW, Issue three, 2012


Website: viewdigital.org


Page 8


Support: Colm Fanning and Sean Campbell from Rathbone talking to teenagers in west Belfast


Picture: Kevin Cooper


Belfast’s most socially and economically distressed districts on a cold March night. “It’s Friday. People are finishing up... and we're just getting started,” he says.


A helping hand C


olm Fanning’s words in Rathbone’s Donegall Street office hardly fills VIEW with inspira- tion ahead of our walk around some of west


Fast forward an hour, however, and his words are helping to change lives in Twinbrook and Poleglass. Youth organisation Rathbone’s no-nonsense ap-


proach to tackling the problems of 13 to 20-year- olds across Belfast involves members of the charity walking up to gangs of youths on estates and hear- ing about their problems on anything from drugs and homelessness to relationship breakdowns and mental health issues. They then point them in the direction of help if


they want it. It’s no easy task when you consider that one of the estates we went to, Colin, where 70% of the population are under the age of 25 and it has been hit by a spate of suicides.


• 18:09 – We’re in the car on the way to Poleglass. Colm tells us the harrowing story of how one of the Rathbone team, while on duty last year, discov-


ered the body of a young boy who had died through suicide. In the same week, an 11-year-old


also died through suicide. The car falls silent. “It can be intense,” admits Colm.


• 18:27 – After a quick briefing on what we should expect tonight, we meet our first group – four young men, who we assume are heading for an off- licence (are we stereotyping already?). It turns out they're not. They are, in fact, going to a shop. Colm and Sean make their approach and within minutes they are all laughing and sharing a joke together. One has just trained as a plumber and can’t find work. Another is an electrician who is interested in youth work.


Colm tells them about employment opportuni- ties in Sydney, Australia, which seems to enthuse both of them. They are given a card and asked to call Rathbone the next week. Impressive.


What Rathbone offers


Rathbone is a UK-wide voluntary youth sector organisation providing opportunities for young people to transform their life-circumstances by re-engaging with learning, discovering their ability to succeed and achieving progression to further education, training and employment. Rathbone Marshall Building, 122 Done- gall Street Belfast, BT1 2GX Phone: 02890 311570 Internet: www.rathboneuk.org/location.aspx?ID=108


• 18.38 – As we make our way uphill through a woodland area, Sean points out the spot where a Rathbone worker recently met a 14-year-old who was slumped in the mud and feeling suicidal. • 18.50 – A Rathbone success story walks across our path and looks genuinely happy to see Colm and Sean. Thomas McCourt was struggling to find employment in Poleglass, but with the help of Rath- bone, was sent on various courses and residentials in Manchester and Liverpool. He now works load- ing lorries at Tesco. “And the pay is good,” he says. • 18.53 – Another group of lads pass us. One shouts. “Don't drink and drive, smoke dope and fly.” • 18.53 – It’s now getting dark and cold. • 18.43 – Colm and Sean approach a group of youths at Poleglass shops, while VIEW stands back awaiting the nod. We get it and arrive over to hear that one of the youths wants to be a journalist. Others are all talking at once about how they'd love to do some rock climbing. I’m asked if I'll go into the off-licence for a few bottles of cider. “What do you want?” says one youth, who is no more than 13 years of age, to his friend. “I'm buy- ing.” Colm and Sean vow to make arrangements about rock climbing. “Any fags?” one shouts after us as we leave. So far, it must be said, these youths


Reporter Chris McCann recounts his experience on the streets of Twinbrook, Poleglass and Lagmore in west Belfast with members of the charity Rathbone, who provide advice and support to young people


are approachable and are far removed from the reputation that often precedes them. • 19.37 –We've have crossed over to Twinbrook and are now outside the Brook Activity Centre. This is the only council facility in the area. It’s quiet with only a few people around. Colm and Sean pre- dict there may be a few more around the streets. • 19:45 –We’ve come across a group of boys and girls, aged around 13, at the Twinbrook shops. One young teenager was a friend of a13-year-old who took his own life. “He was the captain of his fooball team. After he died, our team went down,” he tells us. “We were all crying our eyes out, but they (Rathbone) got counsellors in, which helped.” • 19:51 – One youth at the Twinbrook shops asks: “Are youse up for a chase with the cops?” When asked what that involves, he replies: “Brick them.” • 19:54 – We pass a young girl with her boyfriend, who recognises Colm from previous work. They stop for a chat. It’s becoming clear that Rathbone is well respected among youths in west Belfast. • 20:02 – That point seems to be supported as we reach an electrical box in the area – a ‘hotspot’ for teens to gather. Tonight it’s unusually quiet, but Colm and Sean say they had asked the young teenagers here to help them get rid of the graffiti on the electrical box and replace it with some art. It now has various helpline numbers colourfully on display. “They haven't touched it since,” says Colm. • 20:31 – We enter the Lagmore area, which seems quiet. The Rathbone members explain how the area has a population of 15,000, but has only one shop and no community infrastructure. • 20:51 –We return to the Brook Activity Centre and meet a group from Twinbrook, who are playing in a Midnight Soccer event. • 20:57 – The pitches at the Brook centre are full of young footballers playing under the floodlights. Colm explains that many of these youths would be on the streets drinking if they weren’t playing here. • 21:26 –We leave Midnight Soccer and return to the car on what has been a quiet night in west Belfast. There will no doubt be more serious nights ahead for Colm and Sean. But they will be ready, as always.


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