Tom's letter
I recently met Adam and Craig in A&E after they were assaulted in a local kebab shop one evening - Craig had been badly stabbed in the hand. As part of a team of Oasis' youth workers based in St Thomas' A&E Department, I see this kind of injury a lot.
Although only in their mid-teens, Craig and Adam have a history in gangs, and despite their
desperation to get away from that lifestyle, the police needed them to testify against their attackers. Craig and Adam were too scared to go to court - too fearful to even leave their own postcode - and who knew what the repercussions would be when they were labelled as snitches?
Like so many young people Oasis works with, they were trapped. They were clearly shaken by their ordeal, but more than that, they felt insecure and pretty hopeless about what the future held for them. It's the job of the doctors to sort out Craig's hand, but it's my job to tackle the hopelessness and fear that many young people like Craig and Adam live with day by day.
Oasis youth work at risk
I work specifically with young people involved in violent incidents. Meeting them in A&E means I can start to mentor them and connect them to local projects. So many of the young people I come into contact with have no one in their lives who will listen to them and stand by them.
But there's only so much my early intervention work can achieve; I need to pass the young people I meet in A&E on to Oasis' other youth and church teams, who can provide long-term support and care.
Those projects make my job a success: they're what keep young people out of A&E. Without them, it's like I'm trying to put out a forest fire with a bottle of water.
This summer we are facing a real problem. The funding for some of our summer youth work programmes has been cut. Over 200 young people where I work will be affected by this alone.
We know our projects work
We know our summer projects work. The police tell us that where we run them, youth crime and violence drops significantly - 20% in some cases. This week, a Headteacher we work with told us that she's seen a real improvement in young people who had been permanently excluded from her school - they're now volunteering with us at Oasis, and she's seen for herself that Oasis really works.
But it's precisely these life-changing activities that are now under threat. We desperately need to keep our sports, arts and music activities running this summer: they're lifelines that show young people a more positive way to live.
It has always been hard to help everyone who needs us, particularly in the summer when so many of our supporters and volunteers are away. We are deeply concerned about what the future holds for these young people if we are forced to cut more projects.
Giving young people a way out
I encouraged Adam and Craig to get involved in a local youth gym, where they're achieving great things - through the gym, they're studying for an AQA qualification, and they have weekly support from the gym's youth workers.
It's my job to be here for young people like Craig and Adam, no matter what. No matter what wounds they have, no matter what situation they're in, no matter what they're frightened of. I want to see a better future for them, and I'm sure you do too. So please, support Oasis today.
With thanks
Tom Isaac
Youth Development Worker
PS Everyday I see at least one young person between the ages of 12 and 17 come into A&E.
By supporting Oasis today you can give them a way out.