Luke Billingham

Mattering is not just inside people’s heads: Mattering, inequality, schools and solidarity Luke Billingham is a youth worker for Hackney Quest and a Research Associate for the Open University.

"I don't want to rise 'above' my community. I want to rise *with* it."

This sentiment is often expressed to me by young people. They want individual success *and* to see improved conditions for all in their communities.

This is a theme I explore in this blog:
mabdallah.substack.com/p/mattering-...

Mattering is not just inside people’s heads: Mattering, inequality, schools and solidarity Luke Billingham is a youth worker for Hackney Quest and a Research Associate for the Open University.

"I don't want to rise 'above' my community. I want to rise *with* it."

This sentiment is often expressed to me by young people. They want individual success *and* to see improved conditions for all in their communities.

This is a theme I explore in this blog:
mabdallah.substack.com/p/mattering-...

Exploring racial disparity in diversion from the youth justice system - Nuffield Foundation

New @nuffieldfoundation.org funded research exploring racial disparity in diversion from the YJS. Sig findings and recs across education and the CJS.TY to my fellow researchers Isabelle Brodie Joe Kiff John Pitts + Timi Osidipe @manmetuni.bsky.social

www.nuffieldfoundation.org/project/raci...

Vacancies - The Sutton Trust Look at all jobs and vacancies at the Sutton Trust.

👀 Are you passionate about tackling inequality? Do you want to be part of a leading organisation in the social mobility space in the UK?

Applications are currently open for a handful of roles in different teams at the Trust!

Find out more 👇

Incredibly proud of this new podcast with @robbiejourno.bsky.social and the Big Light. Young people are demonised on the street but what happens if we look through the stereotype and listen instead?

Head of Research & Policy - The Sutton Trust Do you have a deep interest in issues of educational equity, social mobility and increasing opportunity? Apply to be our Head of Research & Policy!

🚨 We're looking for a Head of Research & Policy!

This is a key role in our integrated Communications, Research and Policy team, and it's a great opportunity to play a meaningful part in effecting change for disadvantaged young people.

Apply by 21st May ⤵️
recruitment.suttontrust.com/jobs/5909323...

🔊NEW EPISODE

This week @lucybrisbane.bsky.social & Lee talk to Sandra Ruiz from the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission about the importance of collective community action & how that has helped relatives & survivors take ownership of the ways Grenfell is memorialised.

www.inquest.org.uk/podcast

The latest Household Below Average Income (HBAI) statistics show that poverty continues to affect millions of children in the UK, with 4.5 million affected by poverty during 2023-2024, an increase of 100,00 on the year before. These figures should shame us all, and must be examined alongside the UK Government’s proposals to take £4.8 billion in social security support from some of the most vulnerable, and indeed poorest, among us. The Government’s own Impact Assessment suggests that 50,000 more children will be pulled into relative poverty as a direct result of these changes. But another way is possible. For the past five years, almost 200 parents and carers living on a low-income from all four nations of the UK have been working alongside researchers at the University of York and Child Poverty Action Group to document everyday life in poverty and to push for change. The project started life as Covid Realities in the pandemic and became Changing Realities in a cost-of-living crisis that has never gone away. In our work together, we have contributed real-time evidence to policymakers, challenged harmful media narratives, and developed co-produced recommendations for change.

🧵We learned today that a record 4.5 million children faced poverty this year, but we also learned that policy change can make a difference.

changingrealities.org/writings/cut...

New analysis with @cpaguk.bsky.social for @nuffieldfoundation.org

From Hackney, With Love The London Borough of Hackney is one of the poorest areas in the country and a cultural epicentre for London’s diverse, working-class communities. It is also under threat. From Hackney, With Lov...

Richard Yeboah's book about Hackney & gentrification is out soon. Pre-order here:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/from-h...

I reviewed it & said:
"Neither a lecture nor a rant, [the book] guides the reader through the contours of controversy with gentle tenacity, careful balance & a lot of heart"

📢 Against Youth Violence, the book me and Keir Irwin-Rogers published in 2022, is now fully open access! 📢

Link here:
bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/display/book...

Contents list in image. You can download chapter by chapter, or the whole thing.

Please share!

Yes, ball games: drive to take down signs warning against play begins in London Charity says thousands of signs on capital’s estates deter children from being active, and is covering some of them up

1) Grey Play - taking down the no ball games signs on a Lambeth Housing Estate. Good to see the urban debate on play gathering momentum... www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Thanks v much Stephen, kind of you. Appreciate you listing those 2 pieces of feedback in order of importance! Your namesake Stephen Crossley will be delighted that his chosen title is getting recognition. He's a luddite with zero social media, so I'll pass on the good news to him!

Fancy a life changing opportunity?
We're looking for a person with character and chemistry.https://www.oasisuk.org/job/lead-youth-practitioner-ae-oasis-hub-waterloo/

The Who is Losing Learning Coalition raises urgent concerns about exclusions and attendance in England’s schools.

Luke Billingham @lbilli91.bsky.social makes a powerful case for a four-sided approach to tackling exclusion. Read more: www.the-difference.com/blog

#WhoIsLosingLearning

Drug Policy Constellations Drug Policy Constellations - The Role of Power and Morality in the Making of Drug Policy in the UK; Drawing on the author’s participation in high-level policy discussions, this book presents three key...

Drug Policy Constellations: The Role of Power and Morality in the Making of Drug Policy in the UK. An introductory thread. 1/11 bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/drug-policy-...

Now out in Critical Criminology. #Interventionitis in the Criminal Justice System: Three English Cases. By me,
@schreeche.bsky.social, @lbilli91.bsky.social & Keir Irwin-Rogers. 1/? link.springer.com/article/10.1...

New Year, new poster collaboration with artist Mark Titchner: IT’S THE HOPE THAT KEEPS US HERE Mark Titchner’s art practice takes many and varied forms. He works across a range of mediums: digital print, video (often accompanied by hypnotic, sometimes ear-shocking soundtracks), installation, si...

These are popping up all over London, and I'd hoped they were a DIY grassroots effort. Unfortunately... www.buildhollywood.co.uk/features/new...

Time is running out to save 50% on ALL our books in the January sale! ⏰

You have until Friday 31 January to get 50% off all books using code BUP2S at the checkout.

#BristolStudents #50Off #JanuarySale #BookSale

Find out more: https://buff.ly/3C3FV88

The UK Government ‘mission’ to prevent violence: What should it involve?

Blog by me & Keir Irwin-Rogers -

societal-challenges.open.ac.uk/blog/the-uk-...

"People have a stereotype of what an exploiter looks like and what a victim looks like."

At The Children’s Society, we aim to consult young people on the issues that affect them as much as possible.

Our latest report consulted 324 young people to understand what may be preventing adults from taking effective action around child exploitation.

childrenssociety.org.uk/information/...

📢 YOUTH WORK INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY AT HACKNEY QUEST - PLEASE SHARE! 📢

Great opportunity for someone who wants to dedicate their career to supporting young people.

Info below. DM me for general info on HQ. Email Janita (address in webpage) re role.

Info:
www.hackneyquest.org.uk/blog/job-adv...

📢 In a new policy briefing, Keir Irwin-Rogers & I assess recent violence reduction policy in Britain & suggest a way forward.

We argue that there's been progress, but more must be done at national level to address macro-social determinants of violence:
changingviolence.org/publications...

Grim reality of life inside Manchester prison. Death, self harm and dehumanising regimes.

Thank you v much Reid!

Joint enterprise in England and Wales: why problems persist despite legal change The law in England and Wales (as in Australia and other jurisdictions) enables a person to be convicted of an offence committed by another using complicity liability, sometimes termed ‘joint enterp...

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... Another article written by Susie Hulley and me. Might be of interest.

Had many years of East London park "jumpers for goalposts" myself!

Thank you for the congrats. The idea & writing of the piece was largely down to Stephen Crossley. Excellent fella, and big luddite - no social media presence anywhere. I'll pass the positive messages onto him.

Have a great weekend!

@timnewburn.bsky.social reckon you may be interested in this

‘It’s a far cry from small boys in the park, jumpers for goalposts. Isn’t it?’ the changing space of informal youth football in the UK It is often remarked that all that is required for children to play football are ‘jumpers for goalposts’. Space is also required, however, and so is permission to play, and to see the game through....

New OPEN ACCESS paper by Stephen Crossley, Gijs van Campenhout and me, about the past, present & future of informal youth football in the UK.

Provides a history of informal football and highlights the dangers of formalisation, containment & instrumentalisation.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Murder and manslaughter charges under joint enterprise rise despite concern Nearly 1,000 people charged in five years in England and Wales under doctrine that supreme court said had taken ‘wrong turn’

Gloria Morrison, the founder of the campaign group @jengba.bsky.social said: “The idea we are locking up young people that have their whole lives ahead of them, who haven’t played any real role in a crime, is incredibly depressing.” www.theguardian.com/law/article/... #jointenterprise

INQUEST's end of year message✨ An end of year message from our Director, thanking our supporters and looking forward to 2025.

This work is political: it is about whose lives are valued, the impact of poverty and racism, and the under resourcing of communities in contrast to the billions we pump into failing institutions.
www.inquest.org.uk/end-of-year-...