UK riots: together can we help young people reach their full potential

Along with millions of others I watched the images on the television in disbelief as I saw my local streets and shops smashed by a mindless minority on Monday evening. Streets that I had walked down just days before were now targeted by criminals who seemed to be trying their best to destroy communities and neighbourhoods. Whatever deep-seated issues may be present, the answer does not lie in tearing down our high street; there is no justification for such despicable acts. That does not mean, however, that we should shy away from the very real challenges that our communities are facing. I know that it can prove difficult for many young people to keep on the right path and it's shocking to hear many say they are not being listened to or that they have no hope for the future. If we are to avoid a repetition of the violence we need to understand why a significant minority of youngsters thought it acceptable to go on the rampage with no thought of the consequences. It would be foolish of me to pretend that I have all of the answers, but it is clear that at least some of those answers must lie in our homes, schools and communities. Some may suggest that councils have failed their young people with insufficient youth provision. I do not believe this to be the case: despite deep public spending cuts, councils across the country continue to engage with young people and invest millions of pounds into services for them. This week, Southwark is set to launch our multimillion-pound youth fund, which will pay tuition fees for a select number of high-achieving students, allowing those from low-income families to access a university education. This is the first scheme of its kind in the country and will also be used to support students in Southwark who had previously claimed the education maintenance allowance, now being phased out nationally. In a direct response to rising national youth unemployment, the fund will also help young people aged 16 to 24 with jobs and training. However, the answers to why these events took place don't just lie with local authorities, as we can only do so much. The issues run much deeper. This was a collective national failure which requires a national response from government with education placed front and centre. On a local level we need to think about the role we play to support young people. Everyone from families and community leaders to faith groups and the police needs to be involved. This view is shared by the many local people and businesses I have spoken to over the past few days who agree that a community-wide plan of action is needed. In the coming months I will be leading a series of "community conversation" events to explore what we can all do to fix some of the problems. Ultimately, it is only by working together and realising that all of us have a valuable role to play in society, that we will be able to help our young people and the wider community unlock and realise their full potential. Peter John is the leader of Southwark council This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. Join the local government network now for more comment, analysis and best practice delivered direct to your inbox