Power The Fight: Therapeutic Intervention for Peace (TIP) Report

The charity, Power the Fight, has recently published a new report with the title Therapeutic Intervention for Peace, which was commissioned by the Mayor of London's Violence Reduction Unit. 

"....the report aims to evidence the experiences of young people, families and practitioners in order to improve the effectiveness of therapeutic responses to violence affecting young people in London."

Everyday violence poses hardships for many young people in London, on a daily basis. They are often not even aware of the therapeutic help they could be receiving, however even if they are, in many cases they do not fit the requirements to access the current services. The report was published at a time when interpersonal violence is increasing in London. It uses data from the expereinces of 102 young people, 5 families and 26 professionals with the aim to provide suggestions for the reform of the therapeutic services in London. 

Key findings

1. The majority of the surveyed young people have experienced violence in their lives.
2. Making young people feel like they are the problem could further harm them.
3. Formal therapy has a culture and uses a language, which creates a barrier between the therapists and these young people.
4. Young people belonging to marginalised groups often mistrust institutions.
5. A trustworthy relationship could rely on the cultural competency of the therapist.
6. More focus is needed on the specific needs of women and girls. 
7. The current system is not fit to fulfil its purpose.
8. Practitioners on the frontlines often risk their own mental health and well-being while working with these young people. 
9. lack of clinical supervision of these roles. 
10. Professionals with 'lived experience' are undervalued.

Recommendations

• Cultural Competency Training
• Creative therapy with long term engagement and community co-production
• Community case mapping
• Cohesive and effective partnership work