Wellington Secondary College senior school head, Jodie Allen, Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues officer, Rachel Murray, Wellington student, Baba Nganamen, and Mulgrave MP, Daniel Andrews, are working with local police to improve relationships between Sudanese youth and police officers.By Shaun Inguanzo
POLICE are attempting to change the perception among Dandenong’s Sudanese youths that officers are linked with corruption and violence after their experiences in their home land.
Multicultural Liaison Unit senior constable Joey Herrech said the Victoria police was educating its officers as well as Sudanese youths to help bring both parties closer together and form an understanding.
“We want to break that stereotype and show Sudanese youth we are a community-based force and corruption is not an issue,” he said.
“But rather than educate just Sudanese, we are looking at spinning backwards and having police understand more about the youth as well.”
The Multicultural Liaison Unit, based at Dandenong police station, are taking a two-pronged approach to improving relationships.
One platform for improving relationships is sport.
Mr Herrech said basketball and soccer were very popular sports among young Sudanese people, and police often played games with Sudanese teams.
The police enthusiasm follows a move by Mulgrave MP Daniel Andrews last month to host a youth forum to gauge important issues facing Greater Dandenong youth as a whole.
He commended police for their work in improving ties with the Sudanese community. Mr Andrews and a handful of schools, police, and youth services have identified the need for more sporting and recreational facilities in the city.
Baba Nganamen, 18, arrived in Greater Dandenong from a Kenyan refugee camp almost 18 months ago.
He said there were barriers to entry in sports participation, with a soccer league refusing to allow him to play until he received his permanent residency status.
Baba said this forced most Sudanese youth to be isolated from community sporting groups.
The move ties in with a recent youth forum held late last month between the State Government and local youths.
