Young people to make voices heard at event inspired by Damilola Taylor

Youngsters will make their voices heard on everything from housing, equality and education at an event in Glasgow on Friday.

The Hope Collective Hackathon will see young people aged 16-24 lead debate on how to create a fairer society, and will be listened to by leaders and decision makers including those from local government, MSPs, and police.

Charles Fernando, who sits on the collective’s advisory board, said: “We are going to picture a fairer society and express our hope for opportunity and aspiration to be provided to the next generation.”

It is the second event in the city, with one held in November last year, and this year Orwell Prize winning writer Darren McGarvey will speak at the event.

Niven Rennie, chairman of the charity, said organisers aimed to build on the first event’s success and those held in other cities in the UK.

“A more positive representation of our next generation is on view throughout these hackathons. Participants describe a fairer society, one in which they wish to live,” said Mr Rennie, who is also director of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit.

The Hope Collective is currently carrying out a project which asks contributors to imagine what a fairer society looks like for young people, and to identify the change needed to happen to achieve this.

The hackathons have grown from events to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Damilola Taylor, who was stabbed to death in November 2000 as he walked home in South London.

Before his death, the 10-year-old dreamed of being a doctor, and had written in his diary about hope and wanting to make the world a better place.

The Hope Collective brings together youth organisations, justice, business and statutory bodies who have committed to making positive and long-lasting change for young people across the UK.