The estate

Priory Court Estate - Waltham Forest, NE London

Priory Court Estate in Waltham Forest was the first StreetChance session based on an estate. PC Mike Dignam from the William Morris Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) became involved with a nearby StreetChance project and urged us to set up another project on the estate itself to help the police engage young people. Though many of the young people living on the estate had never played cricket before, the buzz of activity saw high levels of interest from the outset as many young people discovered their new favourite game. More than 60 different young boys and girls took part in the first year of the programme based at Priory Court, with weekly sessions helping to break down barriers between police and the estate’s young people.

The success of the programme has been built on the strong partnership built up with the Circle 33 Housing Trust Community Centre - where sessions take place - and the local SNT. PC Dignam has recognised positive improvements on the estate, not just in their relationships with young people but with the community as a whole too:

“Since the first day I got in touch with StreetChance I’ve been impressed. The coaches are a credit to the programme. They’re making our job a lot easier. StreetChance has enabled us as police officers to build up community links and relationships with youths on the estate. Through our active engagement, local confidence in the police has started to improve.”

As well as having two regular police officers assigned to the session, Priory Court hosted one of the first StreetChance ‘Peace at the Crease’ events, where a team of local officers played in a mini Street20 tournament against young people, giving more officers a chance to engage with the young people and giving participants a chance to discuss local issues with police.

Gulsun Faik, the Community Development Partnership Manager based at the Community Centre, has seen the project play not just a vital role in engaging young people but also through active police engagement at weekly sessions she has observed how the local police have become a welcome part of the community:

“I never thought I would see police here in uniform, but since StreetChance began we have uniformed police here every day, talking to the kids and playing football and other ball games on the court. Everyone sees them around and sees them as part of the community now, which makes adults feel safer as well as kids.”

One 15-year-old participant at Priory Court appreciated the chance to build a more positive relationship with police, feeling that

“it’s better than seeing them on the streets... you get a chance to talk to them.”

The success of the Priory Court Estate project has led to more estate-based projects led by local police across London, and regular inter-estate competitions, which have seen young people redefining the rivalries between London estates with cricket teams rather than gangs.

“An older member of the estate who used to be a big problem now spends his own time after work to help out with the cricket sessions. He has become a role model who the kids now look up to.”
PCSO Ali Katkin, William Morris Safer Neighbourhood Team