Changing Gang Culture With Values Education
By Dr Bill Robb

In my day, to belong to a gang was good fun. Sure we did some stupid dangerous things and broke a few things, but we would never have dream’t of singling out another person and beating him to death. So it’s not gang culture that is wrong and upsets us, but violent gang culture. 

It is easy to understand but so very difficult to accept that a few human beings can be so callous and uncaring of the pain and suffering of others. There can be no doubt that when some teenagers have been so hardened that they lose human empathy, a hard apprach is needed – initially at least. Yes, increasing the police presence on public transport and more stop-and-search drives will help. 

 However, we also know that punishment is only a short term fix – we want young people to willingly give up gang violence. Here’s where values education comes in. 

Although they haven’t called it such, many social leaders are advocating a values education apporach. For example, John Gladwin, Bishop of Chelmsford is recently reported as saying that we need to do eveything we can to build the sense of self-worth in young people and enable them to contribute to the wellbeing of the wider world. He goes on to express the need for a  good family life, reducing family  breakdown, and greater support for the voluntary groups in their work with young people on the streets and in the community, zero tolerance for all forms of racism and discrimination and expression of the values of equality and the fundamental dignity of every human being. 

All this sounds wonderful, but one must ask how? How do you build a sense of self worth in young people? How do you show zero tolerance fo poor behaviour? How do you expres the values of equality and fundamental human dignity? What work will voliuntary organisations do with people on the streets? 

Uanu Seshmi, Director of the From Boyhood To Manhood Foundation says that youth violence can be prevented  by creating an environment that fosters moral reasoning and empathy and developing positive beliefs about life and its challenges. Young people should be empowered to become caring beings. Again one must ask how one does this. How does one create an environment for moral reasoning? 

Ray Lewis, Deputy Mayor for Young People sees mentoring aqs part of the answer - it is about the hearts and minds of your people. He advocates finding people who can talk to youth. Yes, but what will they talk about? 

Values education on the street and in commjunity centres

The questions I’ve asked after the grandiose statements of what we should do, identifies the fact that many people are unsure about how to do what we should. Surely the only way to achieve the goals mentioned in this article is through values education? 

To get people to do right there has to be detailed discussion about what is right in any circumstance and why it is right. Not only that, we have to discuss at length why the negative values of hate and causing pain glorified in gangsta rap, are bad.  

Telling people what is right and wrong won’t work – most know this already - deep down. What they need is some straight, direct dialogue which reveals for them good reasons for doing what is right. This takes time and a special kind of simple Socratic questioning. I can imagine extensive discussion promted by questions such as the following.

·        Why do people join gangs – what are they seeking?

·        Is being in a gang the best way to get love and respect?

·        Does being in a gang force you to do bad things – like hurt and rob non-gang members?

·        Why can’t you just walk away?

·        What happens if you do something wrong in a gang – do the other members show love

·        What does society think of gangs?

·        Is being in a gang a sign of weakness – just a bunch of bullies together?

·        How do you feel when a gang member is hurt or killed?

·        Doesn’t being in a  gang ultimately mean you will be hurt or even killed?

·        What could you do to avoid being in a gang if you doidn’t want to? 

No one will be naïve enough to think that one or two sessions of these kinds of values education classes will do it. It may take a few months. Gradually the “penny will drop”. People will come to heir own realisation of what is right – and it is diffiuckt to go agains ones’ own inner wisdom. 

Yes, we must provide sports facilities, training activities and youth clubs. However, if  youth workers are not trained in values education and then engage people in searching their own deep human wisdom, it will be more money wasted. 

Copyright © 2008 Dr William Robb