In the aftermath of last year's riots, several reviews and inquiries have been conducted in order to analyse the motivations of the rioters and the causes of the riots. The understanding of these issues remains however partial with a number of fragmented accounts emphasising isolated issues of welfare dependency or distrust of the police. ResPublica and NCVYS have commenced a joint 12-month Commission on Youth which will focus on a more holistic narrative with a multi-output initiative that will shape and redefine terms of the debate around the riots.

The aim of the Commission in its first stages will be to identify gaps in public understanding and offer innovative angles to these by investigating the correlation between institutional ‘anomie’ and civil unrest. The key question this project will seek to answer is whether the alienation from social institutions translates into the fragmentation of social identity and rejection of self-regulatory values. The discussions and topics to be explored through the Commission will serve as a basis for future research or policy initiatives in key areas affecting young people and communities

Commission Call for Evidence

To coincide with the one-year anniversary of last summer's riots, ResPublica and NCVYS have called for submissions of evidence, data, case studies, written articles and commentary which will feed into forthcoming activity from our Commission on Youth. 

Submissions should take the form of data, case studies, written articles and short videos relating to the following key themes of the Commission: 

a) Young people’s relationships with authorities and institutions

• Young people feel mistreated by authority figures. How can the Government evolve into meaningful solutions rather than taking a step back into the dark ages of the iron fist?

• School and education institutions: What importance should be attached to educational underachievement and educational exclusion as a cause underpinning the riots? Should schools take the responsibility for cultivating ethical attitudes in their students?

• Is there a bias in the way the legal and policing system is implemented that could in principle alienate young people from deprived backgrounds?

• What role can economic hardship and moral poverty play in youth dissatisfaction and disruptiveness? 

b) Family structures and community support 

• How can stronger family and community cohesion create opportunities to fulfil the aspirations of the youth?

• Positive for Youth: What is the potential for all parts of society joining partnerships to support families and improve lives of young people?

• Insofar as contributing causal factors are concerned, how important were unemployment and lack of job opportunities?

• Can community hubs play a role in this?

c) Young people’s engagement and participation in civic society and democratic outlets. 

• How can declining public trust in institutions be counteracted to engage young people as active citizens?

• What models of collaboration between local businesses and communities could mitigate the frustration among the young?

• How can politicians reach out to young people?

• What are the best ways of promoting youth leadership and political engagement?

• In the correlation between economic/moral poverty and civil unrest, what is the cause and where are the symptoms? 

For further information, please visit the ResPublica/NCVYS Commission on Youth online discussion platform, here. 

The Commission is also open to formal partnership and sponsorship opportunities from public, private and third sector organisations. If you would like further information, or to discuss partnership opportunities on this venture, please contact Caroline Julian at caroline.julian@respublica.org.uk.

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