The annual Haringey Youth Summit, delivered by Hope in Haringey, on behalf took place last week (12 June 2026) at Park View School.

The event gathered young people from Mulberry Academy, Park View School, Harris Academy Tottenham and Heartlands High School, alongside police officers, council representatives and voluntary and community sector partners to reflect on police engagement sessions delivered across the borough.

Facilitated by Omar Alleyne-Lawler, Communications and Police Engagement Manager at Hope in Haringey, the Summit encouraged open and honest discussions about trust, policing, stereotypes, social media and community relationships.

Young people spoke positively about the sessions, alongside the opportunity to engage with police officers. Students from Heartlands High School shared that the sessions had helped to humanise the police and challenge some of their preconceptions, while Park View students expressed a desire to see the return of School Liaison Officers to help build trust and help pupils to feel safe.

One young person reflected:

“Through the session, I understand that the police are here to protect us, build trust to make us feel safer and more comfortable in our community.”

Young people also shared constructive feedback, including concerns about officers bringing handcuffs, tasers and pepper spray into schools, which some felt could be intimidating. Whilst one young person made a strong argument for different uniforms to highlight the different roles police play, helping to break down misconceptions of the police. 

The discussion extended beyond policing, with young people speaking powerfully about the negative perceptions they often face because of their age.

“I feel ashamed of my uniform and my age. I am treated like a problem in shops. Not every teenager is involved in crime.”

Many young people shared the importance of understanding and respecting different communities, reflecting the increasing polarisation happening in the UK:

“We need to recognise our cultural differences and commonalities and learn from one another. We shouldn’t judge people based on how other people act.”

Police representatives also shared the value of the sessions on their own practice.  Marco Di Paola from the British Transport Police explained that without opportunities like these engagement sessions, officers would not gain valuable insights from young people. Powerfully sharing that:

“Social media doesn't paint the police in the best picture. We do our best. We make mistakes. We're human. If you look at the police as like a community. Not all police are like that ”

The Summit clearly demonstrated young people's appetite to share their views openly and honestly in a safe environment where, as one participant described, “we’re not told what to say or think”. This enthusiasm for having a platform to share was further reflected when Natasha from Haringey Council spoke about opportunities to join the Youth Council, resulting in 12 young people signing up to get involved.

Closing the event, Camila Peraza, Impact Manager for the Youth Echo programme, reminded young people of the power they have to create change:

“Social action can just be a letter to your MP. Small actions can make a system change.”

The Haringey Youth Summit continues to demonstrate the importance of giving young people a platform to share their views and be part of the solution.