Hammersmith and Fulham have raised funds to sustain the Met-Track scheme for a further two years while Royal Parks are looking to combine with Camden and Westminster to launch a unique scheme in the centre of the Capital.
Scheme director superintendent John Powell said: “Our fundamental principal is to adopt a partnership approach with youth engagement agencies including Youth Offending Teams and schools so that we attract those young people already on, or in danger of entering the anti-social behaviour or offending radar.”
Powell continued: “We have countless Case Studies submitted by our coaches and testimonies volunteered by teachers, parents and the young people themselves singing the praises of a scheme that has finally carved out a positive future for them.”
Alastair Reid, programme manager for the Met’s Youth Strategy, commented: “Met-Track is an example of a continuing youth engagement and intervention programme within the Met’s Children and Young People Strategy. As a positive activity for young people, combining sports disciplines, health and an opportunity to consult on policing issues including Stop and Search, Met-Track continues to build on its success in 23 London Boroughs, promoting safety and confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service.”
Advent of Met-Track Academies
One of the jewels in the Met-Track ‘crown’ is the increasingly popular Schools and Communities Involvement Programme, which is seeing Met-Track Academies pop up in schools all over London.
“The idea here,” outlined scheme manager Jason Hussain (who single handily runs the project) “is where we have difficulty in getting young people to come to our venues, we will go to them. It’s also a great option for when there’s bad weather and, judging by the forecasts, this winter that could be really important.”
Bromley Borough commander Charles Griggs has also had his say on Met-Track. “The Met-Track Schools Community Involvement Programme is an excellent example of how the Metropolitan Police Service, together with world class athletes in a coaching role, can create an environment where young people may be inspired and channel their energies into something we all respect.”
Whether young people want to socialise in a fun sporting environment, or work towards gaining professional status, Griggs feels that Met-Track offers a fantastic and constructive way for them to ‘get healthy’.
“Here at Bromley Police we wholeheartedly embrace and support any initiative that gives positive opportunities to our young people. The Met-Track initiative ticks all of the right boxes.”
Although based around athletics and fitness coaching, Met-Track delivers mentoring by role models as well as serving prisoners on the realities of custody, offers workshops on rights and responsibilities in relation to Stop and Search and runs interactive sessions with specialists units within the Met.
Scheme organisers are currently in talks with the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service, both of whom have shown an interest in linking with Met-Track.
The fastest man in Nigeria and G4S
Speaking of athletics… Obinna Metu is officially the fastest man in Nigeria and, as part of the G4S 4teen programme, he was given the opportunity to travel to Jamaica and join a training camp involving the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, as well as other top athletes.
G4S 4teen was launched in 2007. With the advice and support of leading sporting bodies and National Olympic Committees, fourteen young sportsmen and women who demonstrated the strong set of values required to develop and compete at the highest level were identified and selected to join the scheme.
Each member of the team enjoys the ongoing support of their local G4S office and the global G4S family. In addition to receiving sponsorship intended to enable them to focus on training for – and competing at – junior and world championships (and possibly the greatest sporting stage of them all, the Olympic Games), G4S also provides training in key life skills.
A charismatic young sprinter, Metu has risen quickly to the top of his sport, having already competed at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2009 IAAF Athletics World Championships, and is fast becoming a man to take notice of on the international stage.
Metu’s phenomenal dedication to his sport has impressed all those around him, not least his G4S 4teen mentor Haile Gebrselassie (with whom he has spent time training both in Ethiopia and at G4S 4teen-run training camps in Kenya).
On Saturday 11 December, Metu spoke to the BBC just before he started this opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to improve his performance with the most talented people in athletics.
The Nigerian hopes his determination and strong work ethic will see him qualify for his second consecutive Olympic Games when London 2012 comes around, and perhaps even help him go one step further.
To follow Metu’s progress, and that of the other G4S 4teen athletes, or to find out more about the G4S 4teen programme go to the website (a dedicated link is provided on the right hand panel of this page)
