In this episode I’m speaking with Junior Smart who was arrested in his mid twenties for possession of several kilograms of crack cocaine. Junior was left homeless after his mother died of a stroke, causing him to go into depression and become suicidal, planning to kill himself. On that day, an officer slid an envelope under the door of his cell containing photos of past family get-togethers. Junior said the photos snapped him back to reality and saved his life. He then seeked help from the Listeners and decided to train to become a Listener himself but soon discovered areas that lacked in support. He wanted to do something about it and make a change. He became a mentor for young offenders in the YOI, leading him to meet with St Giles Trust and setting up his successful SOS project which became London’s largest gang exit project.

For more information on Juniors work:
https://www.smarttc.co.uk/about-the-individual.html
https://www.the-sse.org/stories/junior-smart-sos-gangs/

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