Stephen Lawrence Day 2024: Joining our SPARK pupils to make our pledges for change

Ahead of Stephen Lawrence Day 2024 we visited our SPARK cohort at Cardiff West High School to get them involved in sharing our #StephenLawrenceDayPledges.

Our SPARK project aims to help build better relationships between the young people in our communities and the police.

Run by the South Wales Police Black Police Association (SWP BPA), the SPARK project has provided students with the opportunity to speak to different members of our force, take part in a leadership workshop and visit our headquarters. The BPA have also been working closely with other organisations such as the WRU, to provide opportunities to the children.

The project’s aim this year is to inspire societal change by empowering the next generation, so our visit to mark the annual Stephen Lawrence Day, was entirely fitting as The Stephen Lawrence Foundation focuses on #ThePowerofLearning, working to empower minds and shape futures.

Working with the students we encouraged them get creative to produce a video for Stephen Lawrence Day, allowing them to express what equality means to them and the pledges that they will be taking this year.

Sunita Sood, chair of the SWP BPA, said:

“The SPARK programme, in collaboration with charities like the Gloves Are On and Race Council Cymru, is a youth engagement initiative led by the South Wales Black Police Association. It offers and insight into the various departments within South Wales Police, and we provide advisories on issues like traffic pursuits, best use of 999 / 101 calls, advice, and guidance on knife crime and firearms incidents.

“We work with students in our communities to cultivate leadership skills, fostering positive relationships between our youth and the police. We provide development opportunities for our young future leaders, through introductions to various organisations. The programme ensures that participants are empowered to look beyond situations, to dream big, to aspire and to succeed in life.   

“Empowering our youth today, cultivates the leaders of tomorrow, together through programmes like SPARK, we ignite potential, build bridges and shape a future of opportunity and understanding.”

“Thank you to Soraya and Cardiff West High School for allowing us the opportunity to implement the SPARK project.”

Soraya Kelly works within Cardiff West High School and is also the founder of The Gloves Are On, a charity which aims to generate awareness of the issues that are affecting children, young people, and adults.

Soraya said:

“As a direct result of the SPARK project with South Wales Police, the students have benefited from further engagement with the force, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) have facilitated talks discussing their rights and inviting them to join the youth programme.

“We have also had WRU come to the school to talk to the children, take them on visits and also kindly provide kit, merchandise and tickets to go and watch matches.

“Other organisations have also visited the school such as Caerdav, who have organised for the students to visit their facilities and discuss work placement opportunities.

“Thank you to all the students for getting involved and to ACC Danny Richards and Superintendent Marc Attwell for their continued support and arranging for officers to attend the regularly to start building positive relationships with young people in the area.

“These opportunities would not have been possible without the support of the SPARK project and SWP.”