Entrepreneur uses skills to help black youngsters out of gangs (From Croydon Guardian)

Entrepreneur uses skills to help black youngsters out of gangs

8:10am Wednesday 11th March 2009 in Search By Peter Truman

A young entrepreneur is using his business skills to stop fatherless black youngsters from becoming gangsters.

Andrew Brown runs Elevating Success, a Croydon-based firm offering mentoring, personal development, employability skills and motivational courses.

Coming from a fatherless background himself, Andrew felt able to connect with youngsters drawn to gangs and persuade them to try their hand at business instead, as he did.

He said: “I was born and bred in Brixton of Jamaican parentage. Dad left us when I was only five years old and I was brought up by a very supportive mother who understood the importance of being well educated.

“I never succumbed to peer pressure, so managed to avoid the dangers of crime and it did not matter what names they called me. I got my first job at 16 and was able to buy my first car at 17 and had set up my first business, a coffee shop, by the age of 24.”

The 36-year-old said about 70 per cent of youngsters he worked with were either ex-gang members or still in gangs, many too scared or too tempted to quit the life.

He added: “Unfortunately, the fathers are not around, so the mothers are having to be both parents. The kid joins the gang and the “general” looks after the young ones.”

Mr Brown holds youth crime workshops where teenagers and parents have the opportunity to work and talk together, to consider their culture and to challenge stereotyping.

He said seeing positive role models gave these gangsters a different perspective and many wanted help to turn their fortunes around.

He cited one youngster he was working with who had six convictions at the age of 16, but was now determined to become a mentor and change his life. Another girl has just started a job at a high street bank, something almost inconceivable just a year ago.

Mr Brown said: “The programme gives them confidence and we act as their mentor. Elevating Success has been in operation for only 18 months and I am proud to say already well over 65 per cent of our clients have secured employment, obtained an apprenticeship or have continued into further education.”

Youngsters can get inspiration from Mr Brown’s own success – he established the Youth Cafe in Thornton Heath and YouthWise magazine.

Receiving support from the Croydon Enterprise programme, and now with eight employees and a plan to diversify into Corporate Social Responsibility, Mr Brown’s business continues to flourish.

He said the advice of Croydon Enterprise had been “invaluable” to his business. Andrew said he would be delighted if the gang troubles ended tomorrow, even though it would affect most of his business.

He said: “I think we can stop the problem but everyone has to work together – the police, the schools and the communities.

“I believe this issue will be sorted.”