SOS Global Knife Crime & ASB Awareness Conference Exeter

The project has engaged young people in Exeter and Torbay in an effort to reduce the use of weapons and make our communities a safer place to live.

The event was opened by the Lord Mayor of Exeter, chaired by Dawn Dines (CEO & Founder of SOS Global) and included guest speakers, Judge Neligan (Retired), Andrew White the Chief Executive of the Police & Crime Commissioners Office, Superintendent Keith Perkin from the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary and Fiona Bailey from Westlands School, Torquay.

Attendees included representatives from Exeter, Devon & Torbay Councils, Youth Offending Teams, the Judiciary, Drug & Alcohol Teams, Health & Well Being Boards, The NHS, a wide range of support services and young people from a variety of educational establishments.

In her opening speech, Dawn Dines said, “Factual evidence, hard hitting effectiveness and an understanding of young people are crucial. Our project shows the outcomes when knife crime occurs and also the actions that directly affect family, friends, associates and whole communities.

"This week being the 6th anniversary of the Ben Kinsella murder, reminds us of the long term effects of such a crime and how it behaves like a virus in the community long after the initial act. His sister Brooke in a report commissioned by the Home Office recommended that more anti-knife-crime projects should go into schools and for anti knife-crime programmes to be taught in schools. This is what we at SOS Global with the support of our Communities intend to do.”

“As a social enterprise that is passionate to keep the health and social care of young people, our aim for today, is to be co-productive and develop a multi agency action plan on youth knife crime, as part of the national movement to eliminate this problem, we all need to work better at this, to safeguard our future generations.”

Judge Neligan outlined the consequences under the law of the possession and use of knives and reflected on the views of the Criminal Justice System on sentencing and the seriousness of offending.

He said, “In recent years, particularly since the murder of Steven Lawrence, the law has responded to the increasing public concern about knife crime, due to the alarming escalation of incidents of violence where knives or other bladed articles have been used. Knife crime has a devastating effect on individuals, families and communities. The lack of understanding that some young people, in particular, have of the dangers of carrying and using a knife is of real concern, particularly in the gangland culture.

But how is this message brought home to those who may be tempted to slip a knife into their pockets before going out for an evening ?

We need to raise awareness amongst young people, not just of the dangers of carrying and using knives, but of the consequences, often devastating consequences that will follow from becoming involved with the criminal justice system.

How can that be done?

It seems to me that the most effective way is to be proactive rather than re-active. Early intervention should be the message taken away from a conference such as this one. Early intervention can best be achieved by going into schools to point out the dangers; to point out that there is nothing “big” or grand about being a “tough gang member.” The focus must be upon schools to ensure that in some way education includes education in the dangers involved in carrying and using knives or weapons of any description. Unless the problems and potential problems are addressed now, and from a child’s early age, then it may be too late in a potential victim’s or potential offender’s life. If you lose the opportunities, then you risk the consequences of having to react to serious social problems and all that flows from those.”

Andrew White introduced the role of the Police & Crime Commissioner and outlined his support for the project in reducing knife crime and violent offending.

Superintendent Perkin said that early intervention and prevention is far better that dealing with offending knife crime, violent and antisocial behaviour is taken very seriously. He went on to say that a multi agency approach to try to eradicate the problem areas is the way forward.

Fiona Bailey said,” SOS Global’s workshops are slick, factual, interactive and topical. They streamline the programme to suit all intellects, from grammar school to special needs, involving the youngsters in as much of the workshop through role play as possible. Those with firsthand experience of such issues as Knife Crimes and Gangs and Drug Misuse actively support SOS Global workshops and boy what impact they have on the young people, far more effective than any teacher or presenter! The use of professional/experts like Martial Arts Expert (Tim Anderson) and Solicitor (Gareth Owens, bless him), all ensure the information given to our students is precise and true.

SOS Global should be a part of the Citizenship and PHSE curriculum in all schools. Their workshops ensure that all young people consider social issues they may encounter and the impact that the decisions they make could have on their future. They support young people to make learned and sensible life choices. Local Government, Outside Agencies, Schools, Colleges even the University, the Police and Social Services to name but a few, should all support and encourage the work of Dawn and team because they can reach the students in a way that an educator can’t. It has been a great pleasure and privilege to work alongside such dedicated, dynamic and caring folk whose passion to help youngsters has no bounds.

The conference were shown a documentary compiled by SOS Global, including a knife crime victim, an ex-gang member, the experiences of a barrister, a home office pathologist and the views of Exeter’s CCTV manger on what actual happens on the streets. Importantly it also included feedback from the young people who took part and volunteered in the project.

To conclude a facilitation session was introduced and each member was asked for their commitment and one action for them to pledge so that working together the group could make a real difference in safe guarding our communities from knife and gang related crime.