Evening Seminar

County Lines – the inside story

Nequela Whittaker

Gangs Specialist, Author and Founding Director

Committed Empowered Originals Youth Services (CEO)

9 April 2019@academyjustice

Academy for Social Justice

Academy Overview

• The Academy for Social Justice is a networked community of

people focussed on inspiring change to improve public services,

civil society and help people thrive

• The Academy was created in 2007 and now has over 4500 cross

sector members

• The Academy hosts free nationwide events offering learning and

networking opportunities and social justice themed learning

groups

CONTENT 3

• Introduction - South London

• My Background

• O.T. - Outta Town

• County Lines

• Finding My Purpose

• Where I’m At Now

• Social Media & Contact Details

• Questions & Answers

SOUTH LONDON

• Born in July 1988, Brixton, South West London. Myatts Field Estate,

youngest of three siblings

• My dad a substance misuser since the 80’s (crack smoker)

• In 1993, we moved to Clapham Common

• I was a high achiever during reception & primary school

• 1998/99, I attended Italia Conti Drama School

• 1999, Started secondary school, St Mary’s High School, West Croydon

• 1999, 11 yo I was sexual assaulted (raped) by a peer

• 2000, 12 yo, started getting involved in stealing, joy-riding, selling weed

• 2001/02, 13-14 yo started selling crack as a small business

• 2002/03, 14-15 yo started selling heroin and going OT

MY BACKGROUND 5

O.T. - OUTTA TOWN 6

THE PROCESS

Previously known as O.T. (outta town) this would be an

arranged trip between the distributor and worker depending

on the workers commitments and how much money they

wanted to make. They could be O.T. from 1 week to 1 month.

COUNTY LINES 7

How to Spot Possible Victims

There are several signs to look out for

when someone has been lured into this

activity, these include:

• Change in behaviour

• Signs of assault and/or malnutrition

• Access to numerous phones

• Use of unusual terms e.g. going country

• Associating with gangs

• Unexplained bus or train tickets

• School truancy or going missing

• Unexplained gifts (clothes, trainers) and

cash

FINDING MY PURPOSENEQUELA WHITTAKER

WHERE I’M AT NOW

RADIO

BEAT FM - Brent Council Show - Nequela

BBC Radio - Dotton Adebo - Nequela Panel

BBC Drive Time - Nequela Youth Issues

BBC Radio4 - Nequela Youthwork Segment

BBC Radio5 - Live Interview 2018

BBC World Service – Marinara, April 2018

BBC Scotland- Kaye Adams, April 2018

BBC Radio 5 Live – Nick, 05/04/2018

LBC Andrew Castle Show, 07/04/2018

BBC Radio5 Live - Knife Crime, 08/04/2018

BBC NPR- Life after Prison Show , 16/05/2018

BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour Resilience, 1/1/2019

TV

London Live - Reya - Street Girl April 2016

London Live - Youth Issue/Street Girl

London Live - Live Discussion 2017

CHANNEL 5 - Inside the Gang

BBC 2 - Victoria Derbyshire Show

BBC/ITV - Labour Advert/Cuts

BEN.TV - The Women Show Youth

Violence

ITV 6pm News - Youth Violence 03/04/18

BBC1 News - 6:30pm 03/04/18

BBC Breakfast - 8:10am 05/05/18

GMB- Breakfast TV - 06/04/2018

PRESENTATIONS/ TALKS

International Women’s Day 2016 Newport

Southwark YOS Girls Session 2017

Goldsmiths Networking Event 2017

Trees Shepherd Business Course Grad

Inspiring Butterflies Event 2016

Night With the Authors 2016

Be Inspired Event 2017

Knife Crime Demo Hackney 2017

Merton CSE Awareness Week 2017

Speak Your Mind Knife Crime 2018

Parent Postcode Talk 2018

BOOKS/ MAGAZINE/ NEWSPAPER

Street Girl Book - 2016

University Entrepreneurs - 2016

Diva - LGBT Magazine - June 2016

South London Press - May 2016

South London Press - May 2016

Daily Record - March 2018

ONLINE

Street Girl Knife Crime Demo- UnderWorld TV

Nequela Whittaker- Decades Az-Mag 2017

BBC Article- Not Just Boys Are In Gangs 2018

BBC Article- Resilience 01/01/2019

WORKSHOPS

Street Girl- Merton Council (MOPAC) 2016

Francis Barber Pru- Knife Crime 16/05/2018

Postcode Parents- Pressure 06/06/2018

Knife Crime Speak Your Mind 22/09/2018

Addey and Stanhope School- Amount to

More 15/03/2019

Takeaways

Process – Understand

Prevent – Do

Purpose - Hope

THANK YOU…Q’s & A’s please

• Twitter: _Street_Girl_16

• Facebook: Nequela Whittaker

• Instagram: Street girl 17/ ceoyouthservice

• Enquiries: katy.safe@sky.com

ceoyouthservice.wixsite.com/ceo-youth-service