OUR PROJECTS
Globally, marginalized youth, often constrained by their circumstances, see crime and extremism as their only route out of poverty. Brighter Futures, leveraging 15 years of experience, employs tailored strategies like sports and mentoring to guide them toward constructive paths, aiming to shift perceptions and foster trust within communities.
Across the globe, young individuals from marginalized communities are being drawn into gangs, extremist groups, or criminal networks. These youths, often victims of their circumstances, view crime and extremism as their sole escape from poverty and a step towards achieving their aspirations. Although altering the physical environment where they reside might be challenging, it is possible to shift their perceptions regarding the allure of a life in crime and to bolster their resistance to negative influences.
Drawing on over 15 years of experience in combating extremism and preventing crime both in the UK and globally, Brighter Futures is implementing strategies that guide young men and women towards more constructive avenues such as employment, volunteer work, and education.
Our interventions span various activities, including sports, gaming, vocational training, mentoring, counselling, back-to-school programs, cyber tournaments, and internships. Each intervention is tailor-made to address the specific factors driving serious criminal behaviour in different locales.
However, the overarching goal remains the same: to foster connections and trust.
Livelihoods training
Livelihood training proves highly effective in deterring youth involvement in crime, offering economic independence, family support, a sense of belonging, and skill development. By expanding social networks, building resilience, and preventing recidivism, these programs address root causes, creating a cycle of positive development for empowered youth, fostering dignity, purpose, and contributions to society. Expanding and supporting such initiatives are crucial for building safer, resilient communities.
Capture The Flag
In some Nigerian communities, there's a misperception that cybercrime mainly targets affluent Western individuals, fostering the notion that it's a victimless and legitimate career. However, the reality is that many victims are ordinary Nigerians facing financial losses or losing access to crucial online platforms. The Brighter Futures initiative, part of TAG International's efforts on behalf of the Home Office, aims to challenge the prevailing perception of cybercrime ('Yahoo') by raising awareness, offering alternatives, and catalyzing attitudinal shifts to protect both Nigerians and global citizens from its detrimental impact.
Diary of Hackers
Diary of Hackers, a partner of Brighter Futures, has been instrumental in developing initiatives that deter young people from becoming involved in cybercrime. The organisation have engaged vulnerable young people, aged 15 to 30, in Lagos State, providing them with new and marketable cyber skills that will help them take positive pathways away from crime. The success of such initiatives, highlighted in an INTERPOL report, underscores the importance of equipping young individuals with skills for the legitimate cyber environment to counter the growing challenge of cybercrime in Nigeria.
REDUCE CRIME INCREASE PARTICIPATION
Reduce Crime Increase Participation (RCIP) is a local Nigerian initiative centered around cricket, where participants learn tactical planning, teamwork, and partnerships. Beyond the cricket pitch, RCIP fosters transferable skills such as confidence, purpose, teamwork, and communication, connecting vulnerable youth to sporting opportunities while engaging with Crime Prevention Partners and the police to discuss the impact of crime on their community.
Psycho-social support
In recent years, psycho-social support, exemplified by programs like Brighter Futures, has emerged as a crucial strategy in preventing youth involvement in crime. This approach focuses on rectifying negative behaviors, enhancing resilience, and promoting positive development. The multifaceted benefits of psycho-social support include increased emotional awareness, improved social skills, boosted self-esteem, community building, access to opportunities, trauma healing, and the promotion of critical thinking, demonstrating its effectiveness in creating a safer and more inclusive future for young individuals.
Sports
In the pursuit of shielding young individuals from criminal activities, sports, as exemplified by the Brighter Futures Prevent Programme, play a crucial role. Through structured fun, mentorship, social support, confidence building, mental and physical health benefits, a sense of purpose, community connection, effective time management, and lessons in rule-following, sports emerge as a comprehensive strategy for preventing youth crime. Initiatives like Brighter Futures demonstrate the transformative power of sports in instilling essential life skills, fortifying resilience, and fostering positive development among youth, contributing to a more resilient and positive generation.
Masterminds
Masterminds, a component of the UK-funded Brighter Futures Prevent Programme, aims to prevent marginalised youth being drawn into crime and extremism. Using creative arts like dance and music, Masterminds aims to reshape perceptions, build resilience against criminal influences, and promote positive community values. This initiative has proven successful in strengthening community trust, cohesion, and the participants' belief in their own capabilities, offering an alternative to criminal involvement.