Simon has been a long campaigner against youth violence and crime, he has worked with families the Friends of Frankly Community and the Police on tackling it and now supports the probation service. Speaking in relation to his own experience, he said: “as a drop out myself growing up, I could of very easily got wrapped up in gangs and crime, but it was skateboarding that kept me on the straight and narrow. I used to sell my own skateboarding DVDs and this gave me a thirst for being my own boss.” When you are brought up poor on a council estate, the only thing you are interested in is how to escape poverty, and to most people that involves making money. He also stated that “had my school taught me how to start a business – ‘how to stand on my own two feet’ – then I probably wouldn’t have dropped out. “We need to encourage more technical and entrepreneurial education and start teaching GCSE economics and business in the class room as in the digital economy of the 21st century it should be easier than ever for our young people to be their own boss.”
Campaign for a skate / BMX park in Frankley.
Speaking in relation to his own experience, he said: “as a drop out myself growing up, I could of very easily got wrapped up in gangs and crime, but it was skateboarding that kept me on the straight and narrow. I used to sell my own skateboarding DVDs and this gave me a thirst for being my own boss.” [5]
“When you are brought up poor on a council estate, the only thing you are interested in is how to escape poverty, and to most people that involves making money. [5] He also stated that “had my school taught me how to start a business – ‘how to stand on my own two feet’ – then I probably wouldn’t have dropped out. [5]
