Co-sponsored by Hope in Haringey, the Bridge Renewal Trust and the Safer Neighbourhood Board Haringey, this year’s Haringey Youth Summit brought 400 local people to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to discuss ways they can be safe, secure, and successful in the borough.

By Communications Manager, Omar Alleyne-Lawler

It was a full house at the Youth Summit where 450 people filled the East Atrium Lounge of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

The fourth Haringey Youth Summit was an action-packed agenda that saw more than 24 local organisations from Haringey’s education, charity, business, political, police and consulting industries represented. Being the first face-to-face summit since 2019, students were celebrated in a world-leading venue as local leaders addressed approaches to their safety, security and success needs.

Guests were welcomed to the stadium with a digital wall produced by Mark Baker.

If there was an award for best presentation-in show, Dukes’ Aldridge may have taken it. Focusing on the creation of their Student Charter, year 9 student ‘Toby’ delivered a dynamic and impassioned talk engaging the entire summit. It was a testament to the likeability of Haringey’s charismatic youth, with Toby speaking to the crowd as if he were speaking to a friend.

Whilst Duke had set the stage, the limelight was shared by several key-note summit speakers. One of which was HiH partner, Sister System. Sharing a video of their work, Sister System founder, Okela Douglas spoke on how girls can be empowered through growing in confidence and getting out of their comfort zones.

Girls were also given advice on how to stay safe by the Met Police’s TSG & North Area MPS team, where its women officers focused on how to prevent violence against women and girls. Meanwhile, a video on the value of schools based police engagement was shown to audiences.

Ledley King shares a photo with NA MPS Constables.

Previous Haringey Youth Summits have been known for their celebration of artistic creativity and the 2023 edition was no different. Coming in from Enfield, St Anne’s Girls School Choir opened the summit with their renditions of gospel songs, causing the room to take note. Grieg City meanwhile turned the stage upside down with a series of backflips, dancing to life the themes of Immigration and Black Womanhood.

The largest artistic showcase on the day was perhaps its most silent. Located in the Atrium of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and repeated on 7 of its 100” LED screens was the TRADE Photographic Exhibition.

Visioned by Richard Dixon and project managed by Chloe Hedman and Omar Alleyne-Lawler, TRADE saw 19 students from 9 schools document 9 businesses from across Haringey and North Finchley.

TRADE Photography Exhibition led by Richard Dixon and Chloe Hedman

The exhibition would serve as an example of Hope in Haringey’s commitment to student employability and enrichment, as the creation of the exhibition counts towards student work experience and the photos eligible for their own portfolios.

An after-event survey showed 80.4% of the 300 attending students responded positively to the event, marking it as either informative, inspiring, energising, helpful or thought-provoking.

Hope in Haringey leadership has promised that this feedback will be used to help shape future Youth Summits with the 2024 edition looking to take place at the Royal Albert Hall.

Hope in Haringey would like to give a special thanks to the Bridge Renewal Trust, Safer Neighbourhood Haringey, St Anne’s Girls School Choir Enfield, Dukes Aldridge, Haringey Voice, Haringey Music Service, Harris Academy Tottenham, Park View School, Met Police TSG and North Area MPS, Councillor Adam Jogee, Sister System, Haringey Rhinos, Grieg City Academy, Michael Duberry of Made Leaders, Rt Hon David Lammy MP, Gladesmore Community School, Heartlands High School, Woodside High School, College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, London Academy of Excellence and the Haringey Learning Partnership for their involvement, contributions and attendance to the Haringey Youth Summit, 2023.