Young people participating on Barnet's Kickz project at Underhill Junior School have participated in two Be Safe workshops over two consecutive Wednesdays.
Be Safe, working in partnership with the Home Office, is the only nationally available education programme in the UK , developed after nearly ten years of research and development to successfully challenge young people's views on violent behaviour and weapons use/carrying.
Both workshops were open discussions within the group, allowing the contents to be discussed in depth. Within the first workshop the group were informed and educated on laws and issues surrounding knife crime, this was enforced with images and details of real life situations and outcomes where knives were carried for 'protection' leaving the participants in no doubt that carrying a knife is not an option if they want to stay safe.
The second workshop focussed on personal safety, where children were asked to visualise scenarios that may happen in their day to day life, and how to prevent and avoid conflict and crimes against them.
The Be Safe programme also trains the trainers and Janet Matthewson, the FitC Community Manager, will be going on the course in the New Year with the aim of working in partnership with the police and the council to deliver the Be Safe workshop in schools across the borough and on the Kickz project, using football and the backing of a professional football club as a vehicle to deliver this important message.
Representatives for organisations across the country that work with youth are to be trained to deliver this programme as part of this government initiative and it is anticipated that by reaching such large numbers of young people, change will happen.
Janet says that unfortunately,because of the frequency of reported incidents, we are in danger of our young people believing that everyone is carrying a knife, thankfully that is not the case so if we can get the message through to even a small number of young people who have contemplated carrying a knife, with so many young people involved, lives will be saved, serious assaults will be prevented and potential victims will be safe. By all pulling together we can help shape the future for our young people.
