Spark 2 Life

Founded in 2007, Spark2Life is a community-inspired black-led initiative that empowers and advocates for people by giving them the tools to successfully navigate key aspects of life to reduce and prevent the risk of offending.

Leroy’s work with S2L began in 2016 when he delivered an antigang mentoring scheme called the ‘Custody Office’ project. Young people on the margins of gang activity in police custody were identified as individuals who would respond to being signposted to education, employment or training opportunities. Consequently, his project report recommended the MPS Gangs Matrix - assessing risk and harm caused by gang suspects - should review its algorithm because of the lack of evidence that worked towards disproportionately criminalising black young people.

Leroy has supported Spark2Life with their Stop & Search Advocacy Service for young people since May 2022 by supporting assemblies across Waltham Forest and New Recruit Police training in Newham. The Advocacy Service enables young people to get support in accessing their rights and resolving issues around stop & search and other policing concerns. 

Leroy has been helping to deliver training for local Police Officers facilitated and designed by young people and aiding Spark2Life to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Improvement in young people’s understanding of their rights, knowledge and understanding in relation to Policing

  • Improvement in confidence and trust in police with 12 – 18 year-olds in the borough

  • Improving the police officers participating in training’s understanding of adolescent development 

Leroy has recently added to this work by successfully applying to be a member of the LBWF (London Borough of Waltham Forest) PEP (Police Encounter Panels), a community scrutiny panel on Police stop and search powers.

Leroy is a Black person standing wearing glasses and a checked shirt and he is presenting at a Spark 2 Life police recruit training sessions.