Bridging the gap: A campaign empowering south Bristol’s youth

Youth Moves is addressing the cultural, social and economic divide that stops young people south of the river achieving their potential.

Interviews 15th August, 2022

Billy Stockwell

Growing up in Knowle West, one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK, Levi Hodge struggled to get the support he needed to stay out of trouble. “I was on anti-social behaviour lists, out on the streets, not going to school,” the 26-year-old admits. “Organisations didn’t want to work with me. People tried but then gave up.”

Thankfully, aged 12, Levi came across Youth Moves, an award-winning youth work charity based in south Bristol. They saw his potential, even when he didn’t. “If I was hanging around on a street corner, my youth worker would come up to me and say, ‘if you ain’t coming with me, then I’m going to cramp your style and stay with you,’” he says.

There of young are people a lot who believe they don’t deserve these things, but we believe they do

The rapport Youth Moves built up with Levi during his early-teens would turn out to be crucial as he got older. Sadly, Levi’s mum – who had raised him on her own – passed away when he was just 16, leaving him with few positive role models.

Youth Moves doubled up as a second family for Levi during these challenging times, helping him to see his strengths and get back into education.

‘A divided city’

It’s this level of commitment that Levi wants to give back to his community. Now a youth worker himself, Levi has recently helped launch Youth Moves’ new campaign ‘Bridging the Gap’, which aims to address the economic, social and cultural divide in Bristol by providing disadvantaged young people with more opportunities.

James Creed, a senior youth worker at Youth Moves, hopes this new campaign will empower young people to push themselves outside their comfort zones. “How do we make the city centre feel just a little bit closer?” he asks. “It’s about showing there is a reason to go, to experience new things and expand your horizons.”

“There are a lot of young people who believe they don’t deserve these things, but we believe they do. They deserve the exact same opportunities as someone who was born in Henleaze or Clifton.”

Last year, Knowle West was ranked among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK, according to council data. Clifton, on the other hand, was in the 10% least deprived. 

For decades, there has been a gradual erosion of community services in Knowle West, including Filwood Broadway’s cinema and swimming pool. More recently, Filwood Library had to temporarily shut due to reports of anti-social behaviour. It may now be relocated entirely. 

“For me as a young person, you didn’t step foot out of Knowle West, you stuck with what you knew,” Levi says. He believes the solutions to this divide could be “as simple as taking young people to the city centre, where there are all these fantastic facilities that they can see from Knowle West but have never been to”.

From the window of the Youth Move’s centre, Cabot Tower stands proudly in the distance, but Levi says most who attend the youth club would say that they’ve never visited it.

‘Expanding horizons’ 

Macy Lefeuvre first engaged with Youth Moves when she was 14. She had been struggling at school, not listening to teachers, and was kicked out multiple times. When not at school, her home situation was unstable and she found herself in a “toxic” relationship with an older boy. 

“Things started getting to me,” the 18-year-old admits. “I felt worthless and never thought I was going to get a job… I always wanted more going for my life.”

Despite leaving school with no qualifications, Youth Moves managed to get Macy’s life back on track. “I really enjoyed it because it gave me something to do, to get me off the streets,” she says. “It really brought out ‘me’ and no one has ever done that before”. 

At 18, Youth Moves offered Macy an apprenticeship. She’s now a trainee youth worker and travels across the country in her new role. Earlier this year, she took her first trip to London, as part of a new initiative looking to fund youth projects across the UK. “I would never have had that experience if I wasn’t here,” Macy says.

“They’ve opened up so many opportunities for me and they believe that I can do it.” She’s now part of the next generation of Bristol’s youth workers, giving back to the community like youth workers did for her. Levi is thrilled: “It takes just one person to believe in the young people… If I can change just one person’s life, get them on the right track, in my whole career, that’s my job done.”