We were pleased to host Restorative Gloucestershire to come and deliver a positive restorative intervention session where 11 young people aged 13-21 shared their personal stories about their experience with the Gloucestershire police Force. Within a circle of 25 people Paul Mukasa from Restorative Gloucester hosted the session which began with young people sharing their previous encounters with the police force. The young people shared very honestly and openly their mixed experiences of the police service they had experienced. The 11 Police Officers from around the Gloucestershire County were really engaged by what young people were saying and keen to answer, assist and listen to young people’s concerns, perceptions and myths that they were carrying. As time went on and the more stories were being shared young people’s perceptions and myths about the police were being deconstructed bit by bit. During the break both young people and police officers shared pizza together and further discuss what had previously been said in the group discussions. After the break young people and police gathered together again to take part in a series of games which involved a lot of movement, the most interesting game was how everyone had to arrange themselves in order of height without speaking to each other! As the session concluded young people and police officers worked together in small groups to work through set scenarios .

“I was privileged to witness 11 police officers and 11 young people from The Door and Stroud Youth Support Team come together, also a huge thankyou to Paul and Charlotte from Restorative Gloucestershire” (James Honey, Youthwork manager)