To our future Mayor of London,
I love this city. My love for London is rooted in the wonderful and inspirational people who grow up and live here, particularly the young people and families who courageously each day overcome seemingly overwhelming challenges of living life on our inner-city estates.
I lost my heart to such people nearly 20 years ago when I founded XLP, a charity that works with them to help children and young people stay in school and succeed, stay away from gangs and criminality, and set goals and work hard to achieve them.
I’m so proud of Cherry, who overcame a childhood blighted by mental ill-health, alcoholism and domestic abuse to become Apprentice of the Year at Barclays and Outstanding Woman of the Year at the Stephen Lawrence Trust awards. And Shayleigh, who has emerged from being bullied to find self-esteem and an apprenticeship with Snow Camp.
And Tex, for dealing with the anger after being stabbed and the violent death of his cousin, and choosing a different path. And Septhon, who, having been abused, involved with gangs and in prison seven times, is now mentoring other young men towards more positive futures.
These young people and their families are easily overlooked, though. Most Londoners and tourists never meet them — some call them “the invisible people”.
When you arrive in City Hall for your first day as Mayor, a thousand people will be clamouring for your time. Amid this, if you are able to remember that those most in need of your attention are those who will never seek it — the unemployed, the lonely, the grieving and the invisible — then you will do this city proud.
Our young people, irrespective of the challenges they face, need a strong and positive sense of belonging to a community — it’s key to helping them build positive futures. A good community provides positive role-models, a broader perspective on life, and a level of resilience and compassion for others that we all need to thrive. Will you help build those communities? Our young people need jobs — 18 per cent in London, that’s nearly one in five, are unable to start their working lives. Will you help with meaningful jobs for them? Many of these young people face so many complex challenges at home and in school, and they need help and support.
It’s all too easy to focus on those who are “just below the line” or already exhibiting prestigious potential but what will you do to ensure that long-term and consistent support reaches those desperate ones who are “at the bottom”?
I don’t pretend that all this will be easy. You will have some difficult choices to make. What I can tell you is that if you don’t forget the unemployed, the lonely, the grieving or the invisible children and young people, then there are those of us who have been working in this city’s communities for many decades before your election, and will be doing the same for many years after you have moved on, who will gladly work alongside you. Please don’t forget them.
Yours sincerely,
Patrick Regan OBE,
CEO and founder of XLP
