The Lambeth Peer Action Collective (LPAC) recently celebrated the launch of its brand-new research ‘Built on Trust’, exploring the role of youth spaces and trusted adults in reducing young people’s exposure to violence.
LPAC is a youth-led group in Lambeth, South London, leading the way with its research and social action on issues affecting young people. The LPAC partnership is led by High Trees and is made up of five other local youth organisations (Juvenis, Spiral Skills, St Matthew’s Project, IRMO and MLCE).
In LPAC’s previous research, young people shared how when they had access to safe spaces outside of school and could reach out to trusted adults or peers, they felt protected from violence. This led the team to investigate spaces and trusted adults and to understand if and how they worked as protective factors in a local context.
Research conducted by the LPAC team from May 2024 to July 2025 discovered four key findings:
- The violence affecting young people takes many forms and is often complex in nature.
- Youth organisations provide unique spaces where young people can feel safe and build belonging.
- When youth practitioners can build trust with young people, they are able to provide them with practical and emotional support to navigate violence.
- Youth organisations offer young people alternative pathways and visions for their future.
Over 60 people attended launch, including funders, youth practitioners and others working in the sector. It was a great evening filled with filled with valuable discussions and insights. Attendees described the event as “hopeful”, “inspiring”, and “empowering”.
What’s next for LPAC?
Since the launch, LPAC have been busy taking action in response to their findings.
They’ve began a social media awareness campaign, creating videos focusing on local youth organisation, to raise awareness of the spaces and opportunities available to young people in Lambeth. They’ve also been speaking to key stakeholders, including Lambeth Council, the Met Police and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), attending workshops and influencing future policy.
Read LPAC’S ‘Built on Trust’ report here.