The Barber Connect Project

As a barber who has lived and worked in Newham for 17 Years, I have a growing concern for the rate of crime in the area. It is very painful as a parent and barber to see a young boy who once came to your barber shop as a teenager now being part of a gang or even reading in the news that they have been stabbed. I feel many of these children lack opportunities or have been rejected many times therefore have chosen their last option to make a living through crime. I want to introduce young teenagers to barbering and show them how I have managed to build a successful business through cutting hair.

My proposal is to work with teenagers who have failed to engage in the school system and teach them a skill, perhaps they could earn while they learn to keep them motivated. They get paid every time they turn up and I would work with them and train the various hair cutting skills and maybe they can agree to get a certificate through college.

 I also propose to hold free haircut days in the summer in areas like Rathbone market or even Star lane Park where we can have other stakeholders like the police or safer neighbourhood team, Newham College, local councillors and the community neighbourhood.

Every boy signed up gets a minimum of 12 weeks free training, a barbering kit and mentoring to start their own business.