Hold it Down is managed by the Strategic Priorities Unit of Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (HCVS), Hackney's leading voluntary and community sector support agency. Run by young people for young people, Hold it Down focuses on the reduction of gun and knife crime in the borough through community events and by offering support and training to local young people. Hold it Down is the only youth engagement programme funded by Team Hackney (Hackney’s local strategic partnership), that has the unique ability to engage with the youth at their own level and relate to their experiences. Since its inception in 2006, Hold it Down has engaged with over 3,500 young people pan London.

Type B and Hold it Down have worked together on many campaigns promoting events and conveying a message of tolerance and understanding across Hackney. However, Hackney Close Up is the first collaboration of this kind between the two organisations which will see 6 young people write, produce and edit a film about their experiences.

The training is now complete and covered all aspects of film-making from camera skills, lighting and editing techniques to narrative, dialogue and directing. The screenplay is also finished and shooting is due to start in March 2009.

The end result will be a 5-10 minute short film written, acted and directed by the young people, about their experiences of gangs in East London. The films will be shown at future Hold it Down events and be used to educate people of all ages and walks of life about life as a young person in London’s most dangerous borough.

With adequate funding, we are hoping that this project can be continued and possibly extended to other boroughs. If you would like more information on this project, or are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Toby Richards on 0207 503 3992.