UK Youth backs new Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime

UK Youth has welcomed the launch of a Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime “to protect young futures from crime”.

Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister, was joined by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, actor and campaigner Idris Elba, along with police, officials and charities to launch the coalition at 10 Downing Street.

The Home Office said: “We won’t wait for violence to come knocking on people’s doors. Our coalition is tackling knife crime at its roots.

“Community leaders, victims and campaigners are coming together to create opportunities, inspire hope, and protect young futures from crime.”

It said the group will seek to generate evidence about the factors behind knife crime, particularly those involving young people, with the aim of better shaping government policy. With the help of the coalition, the government hopes to halve knife crime over the next 10 years.

Idris, whose Elba Hope Foundation is part of the coalition, said: “Talk is good, but action is important. We needed joined-up thinking, we needed so many different perspectives: parents’ perspectives, youth workers’ perspectives, charity organisations, governance, policing. We need all of these perspectives to sit around the table when you think about this.”

Sir Keir said he wants to “double down” on the pledge he made ahead of the election to “deal with knife crime”, but admitted there was “no quick fix”.

The coalition is set to involve campaign groups, such as the Hope Collective – which includes UK Youth – young people and community leaders, and the families of people affected by knife crime, as well as technology companies, police and educators.

Ndidi Okezie OBE, UK Youth chief executive officer, said: “Knife crime has a devastating effect on the communities it impacts. Every life lost is an unimaginable tragedy.

“We’ve long said enough is enough and it is time to really channel resources and efforts into tackling this senseless crime, which is why we welcome the first steps being taken today.”

The launch follows a roundtable discussion on violence affecting young people in July attended by UK Youth.

Attendees at the event, hosted by King Charles III at St James’s Palace, included Sir Keir, Idris and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, as well as Ndidi.

The talks explored how alternative options, such as access to employment opportunities, can impact young people at risk of being affected by knife crime and other serious violent crime.

Ndidi said: “Knife crime is a public health issue, worsened by cuts which have decimated vital services and youth provision.

“Funding for youth work has fallen by more than 60 per cent in a decade – and studies reveal that when this preventative support is taken away, young people are more vulnerable to crime, with reductions in local youth provision associated with a rise in weapon possession offences, among others.

“Youth work has such a positive impact for young people up and down this country – helping them realise their potential and turn away from violence, crime and wasted opportunities. At its core, youth work promotes unity, understanding and peaceful dialogue as alternatives to frustration, violence and division.

“We hope this is recognised by the coalition as a crucial component of the efforts needed to tackle knife crime.

“We look forward to working with the coalition to ensure youth work’s life-changing – and even life-saving – potential is available to all young people.”

Dame Diana Johnson, policing minister, said previously: “We cannot do this alone. Political, policing and community leaders must work together to bring the knife crime epidemic to an end and offer a better future for our young people.”

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 8,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org

UK Youth is proud to be a founding member of the Hope Collective, a partnership of cross-sector organisations with aligned values and a shared vision; to work together in a spirit of unity to create real change for young people and communities across the UK. It was originally formed to support the 20th anniversary legacy campaign for Damilola Taylor, who was stabbed to death in November 2000.

UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability, including Hatch, a youth employability programme run in partnership with KFC. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes