Roots International Foundation
in Partnership with Pluggin
Roots International Foundation has been working with Pluggin for over four years in Building Safer Communities Together.
“A unique community-led approach and development pathway for young people at risk of exploitation, knife, and gun crimes in underserved at-risk community environments. A structured, expert-led UK & Ugandan framework helping these young people to change their understanding of self and identity, their mindset and outlook on life, and positive engagement for social mobility by taking them out of local UK danger into a safe and nurturing environment founded on cultural heritage, identity, and employability in Uganda.”
Mike Kasibo, Founder – Roots International Foundation.
Strategic - Building Safer Communities Together
The Roots Foundation is an integral delivery provider within the strategic Thames Valley initiative which is establishing and sustaining safety within communities; developed with a wide group of public sector, criminal justice and local government partners under the office of the Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner.
Why Roots Foundation?
The Foundation takes a very different, expert and evidence-based approach to solving how local authorities fail to give Black children and young people in general the appropriate support they need to live crime-free lives once they get into the criminal justice system.
This is needed even more, given the statistics showing how children with dual heritage are over-represented in most stages of the criminal justice system. This includes stop and search, arrests, cautions and sentences, foster care and custody.
Reports also indicate, that many local authorities in England have gone bankrupt partly due to the high cost of looking after the more at-risk young people in care, proven not to be sustainable or beneficial to these looked after children and young people as many end up not achieving in staying out of the criminal justice system.
Many examples exist of failed “lift and shift” programmes where the more vulnerable young people from black and dual heritage backgrounds have been relocated from the home areas to other areas of the UK in an attempt to address issues around violence, education, training or crime/reoffending. These fail due to the disconnection from existing social and emotional support/family links and often make matters worse when returning post-relocation.
Roots Foundation – Solution
The Foundation was formed with the aim of sustainably supporting young people at risk of permanent exclusion from school due to behavioural issues, society and those under NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training). A small percentage of society, but the most expensive and difficult demographic to sufficiently support.
This also includes young people vulnerable and at risk of criminal exploitation, gangs, knife and gun crimes within the UK.
By offering them a once in a lifetime, life changing, international transition experience in Kachomo Village, Eastern Uganda, Roots Foundation aims to provide the safety net and dedicated support to equip young people with vocational and practical life skills in Agriculture, Engineering and Hospitality.
Aims.
The overall aim is to save the lives of young people, by taking them away from the toxic environment and gang networks and provide them with a sustainable fresh start from a new and safe environment, through collaborative working with parents, local authorities in England and other relevant agencies.
Objectives.
Roots Foundation will achieve its aims by delivering the following objectives:
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To support all young people to develop their sense of identity, culture, emotional resilience and confidence.
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To support them to realise their talents and skills through practical life skills training.
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By having Q&A sessions with elders, uncles and aunties.
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Through having counselling and wellbeing sessions
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By having anger management training.
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By attending emotional resilience sessions
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By attending cultural awareness
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By having heritage and identity workshops.
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By engaging in practical life skills such as agriculture - Livestock farming (cows, chickens, goats, pigs)
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Crop farming (rice, matooke, maize, potatoes, beans, watermelon)
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Machinery training (driving tractors, maintaining tractors, using and maintaining tractor accessories)
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Engineering:
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Construction:
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Concrete block making
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Paving slabs making
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Machinery training (block making machines, digging machines)
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Welding:
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Machinery training (welding machines)
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Welding for building
Parental Collaboration
The foundation recognises the challenges that both parents and young people of African and dual heritage face in trying to realise their identity.
Unlike in Africa, where the culture is “it takes a community to raise a child – through access to the wider family support networks such as uncles, aunts and grandparents” in England, many of these young people are coming from a growing number of young parents who struggle with their own identity which makes it difficult for them to have a meaningful conversation with their children regarding cultural heritage.
The foundation is connected and collaborates with parents/guardians of these young people as foundation teams have lived and professional experience of how young people have ended up adopting street culture which has resulted into being groomed into criminal exploitation.
African Infrastructure
The Roots Foundation is connected into Uganda’s government, public sector, education and business sectors – with access to a significant infrastructure and community support network of Parish Centres.
The Ugandan government sees its c 700 million diaspora (those living overseas) as an un-tapped resources and sees itself as a home nation to welcome young people to share knowledge and build links which will last for generations to come.
The Roots Foundation is an independent, non-political and financially self-sufficient not-for-profit organisation able to scale and sustain services to young people like this.
At the core of the Roots Foundation is expertise in safeguarding, security and governance.
Breakdown of Costs:
Services: Cost per person
6 months: £16500
12 months: £33000
Recreation
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Football
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Table tennis
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Gym
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Cinema
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Restaurant
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Music
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Singing
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Instrument lessons
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Bar
Vocational & practical life skills
Employment options
Agriculture:
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Livestock farming (cows, chickens, goats, pigs)
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Crop farming (rice, matooke, maize, potatoes, beans, watermelon)
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Machinery training (driving tractors, maintaining tractors, using and maintaining tractor accessories)
Engineering:
Construction:
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Concrete block making
-
Paving slabs making
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Machinery training (block making machines, digging machines)
Welding:
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Machinery training (welding machines)
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Welding for building
Hospitality:
Cookery:
Housekeeping:
Bar tending:
Entertainment:
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Vocals
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Choir
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Instruments
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Band