CIRV Case Studies

Kevin* is 17. After signing up to CIRV in January 2009, he has managed to secure an apprenticeship.

“I didn’t really think about being in a gang or getting into trouble. To me, I was just hanging around with my mates, doing what they did. I did it because everyone else was doing it.

“But the older I got, I began to think there had to be something else than hanging about and getting into bother. I wanted to work in the building trade – I’d been to college and liked it, but didn’t really know how to make the next move.

“Some guys from CIRV came to visit me at home and suggested I get involved – they said it would help me get away from just hanging around, getting into trouble and might help my chances of getting work. I decided there was nothing to lose, so I took them up on it.

“They got me on a Get Ready For Work course and through that I got a work placement – it was great, I really enjoyed it, and so when the chance came up of an interview for an apprenticeship, I jumped at it. I had two interviews and it was really tough – both the interview and the waiting to find out if I’d got it. It was great when I found out I’d made it.

“These days, I don’t hang around the streets looking for bother. I’ve got too much to lose.”

David* is 18. He signed up to the CIRV project when his gang activities caused him to lose his job.

“I was gutted when I lost my job. I’d been there about eight months and liked it, liked getting regular money. Then the police turned up one day and charged me with assault, and that was it. I’d been hanging around on the street, drinking, carrying a knife sometimes, getting into bother, just doing what everyone else was doing. I realised it just wasn’t worth it anymore.

“Growing up, there was always people running about fighting and that, it’s just what you do. Because I’ve got an older brother, I’ve always hung out with people older than me. I was about 13 or 14 when I started hanging about the street, drinking and fighting. Sometimes I carried a knife, and yeah, I used it. No one ever got me with anything but sticks and bottles, though. One boy I knew got stabbed a couple of times and that’s when I started thinking it was a waste of time. Losing my job made it seem even more of a waste.

“Some of my pals had joined up with CIRV and said they might be able to help me with getting away from all that and trying to get back into work. I joined up and started off doing a programme with Kan Do. We did lots of different activities and talked about stuff like knife crime and gang fighting and how to avoid it. It helped me figure out where I was going.

“A lot of people doubted me, they doubted I would stick it. But I didn’t care what they thought, because I knew inside I was going to do this, to get on, sort myself out, get a job, a motor, maybe my own place. Now I’m nearly at the end of the course, the guys from Kan Do have asked me to come and help them out with other boys coming through – I’m really chuffed that they asked me, it’ll be great to help someone else go through what I’ve been through.”

Stevie* is 22. He spent five years in a notorious Glasgow gang and started carrying knives when he was just 14 years of age.

"When I got to 14, I started carrying knives and it became a bit more serious because I wasn't stood at the back watching any more. I was at the front, looking to do damage and not caring.

"By the age of 15, I was involved in selling drugs and was taking cocaine, Valium and Ecstasy. My parents had serious addiction problems and they found it difficult to provide for me and my young brother. Your gang becomes your family. You can rely on them: one of the rules is 'don't leave anybody behind'. You're taught, 'This is right, it's not wrong'”.

“At 15 I was expelled from school for violence against a teacher. It was at that point I got involved with guns – if you’ve got the money, you can get them. I got involved in a gang feud on my scheme, and before long I had two shotguns and a handgun.

“I became violent with my pals, and turned into a one-man army. I thought, 'I have to do this to provide for me and my wee brother.

“But by 17 I was in prison for a firearms charge. I did three and a half years. My first year I was fighting and still involved in drugs. It took me a while, but I started to see this wasn’t the right thing, so I got involved playing football.  I did  anger management and drugs courses, but the main thing was getting to play football. It made me feel valued.

“When I got out, I went to the Bambury Centre in the East End and asked if there were any football opportunities. I got involved with their football coaching programme. From there, I heard about the CIRV East End Football League and got together a group of local boys to enter a team. Through being involved with the football, I found out more about CIRV, got involved with them and started giving workshops to help others break away from gangs. I’m now a Peer Advocate, working with gangs on a daily basis.

"It takes a lot of courage to change. You're throwing away everything you've ever stood for, and it's hard to leave your pals and say I don't want a part of that. But I'm glad I did.

“The future's looking pretty bright now. I'm training an amateur football side, I've got a baby and I don't touch drugs. If I hadn't changed, I'd probably be dead, or serving a long prison sentence. I know I wouldn't be anywhere I would want to be.

“If I can do it so can these guys. Working with them is a better buzz than any drug.”

* names have been changed