Walking down Harlseden High Street, it’s hard to miss the black double-decker bus that parks itself in the centre of the action in this bustling thoroughfare. But what might go unnoticed at first, but is felt by this community in palpable ways, is the brilliant work happening inside.
What is United Borders?
When former London bus driver Justin Finlayson started to notice a situation developing that led to a fatal feud in his community, he wanted to create a safe space for young people.
The United Borders project was born when Justin bought a double-decker bus to serve as a neutral territory for two rival gangs, where they could create music together. One group would work on music production in the morning, and the other would work on adding lyrics in the afternoon, producing a piece of art that literally fused the rivals together on one track.
With 24% of London teenagers reporting being a victim of violence in the past year, compared to 18% nationally, projects like this are more important than ever.
After the success of this initial project, Justin has continued his work with young people and is helping to change the lives of those through mentorship.
What happens inside the bus?
The bus itself is equipped with a soundproof recording studio area on the bottom deck, which acts as a creative space for the kids stepping aboard. The upper deck acts as a chill-out zone, complete with a PlayStation, where people can get together, talk and share family-style meals, which especially accommodates children whose parents work shifts.
The lower deck also features an amnesty bin to safely collect surrendered weapons.
Beyond this, though, the real magic happens through the relationships the kids on board have with their mentors. When we spoke to Justin, he emphasised that the mentoring is actually the “medicine” that transforms their lives.
Rather than the mentors being strict authority figures, the mentors working on the project act as older, wiser peers who can share their own experiences.
One of the main aims of Justin’s charity is early intervention, for example, working with schools to prevent exclusions. He says, “If there’s a smouldering cigarette in a house and the whole place goes ablaze, you’ve got to come back to… what was the initial spark in that situation?”
Real-world impact
The United Borders bus has seen many success stories, including current attendee Dante, who was, in his own words, “on the wrong side of the lifestyle.” Through his mentorship with Paul a.k.a Wave, Dante explains he learned how to manage his heightened emotions, and says he is much happier now.
Dante uses the studio to write his own music, reflecting on his personal growth.
Ciaran Thapar from Youth Endowment Fund, who funds United Borders, says “too often we talk about preventing violence in headlines and statistics, not in human terms. What Justin has built with United Borders is something very powerful – a space where young people feel genuinely heard, often for the first time.”
Despite all the success, Justin’s biggest challenge is funding and keeping the project alive in times of austerity, which he believes is “systemic neglect” and leaves vulnerable kids exposed to gang recruitment out of financial need.
However, Justin remains undeterred in his mission even in the face of funding systems that don’t match the complex needs of the communities he is serving. It’s a truly uplifting project tackling one of London’s biggest problems.
You can find out more about United Borders here.
