Northern Lights: We really need to ask ourselves ‘what is the point’ of knife crime?

We achieve this by using alternative ways of education to engage the youthful minds of today; inform, mentor and support them with the challenges that young people may come up against.

We have found the importance of engaging with young people early and developing their skill set to reduce the chances of the knife crime, gun crime, gangs’ culture and anti-social behaviour, this is achieved through our weekly youth clubs and sport based activities.

Introduction to the project:

This project was created to help develop life skills (use of kitchen knives) and spread awareness of knife crime amongst looked after children (LAC).

We chose to work with LAC in this project as they often live in shared houses and have many, unfortunately have trauma and need support.

The proposed objective was to trade in standard kitchen knives (Knives with a point) with safety kitchen knives (Knives without a point) to promote positive uses of kitchen knives.

We approached Viners with our project proposal and they were happy to work with us to spread the positive messages on what knives should be used for.

They gifted us 15 sets of safety kitchen knives (Knives with no point) which we are extremely grateful for.

In addition to the safety knives, Limitless Homes and Support (Whom we completed the pilot with) have purchased 30 copies of One Knife Many Lives; a book that was written to highlight the devastating impact of knife crime, to help spread awareness and allow young people to read it instead of living it.

Limitless Homes and Support is an organisation that is committed to providing, nurturing, high quality support and accommodation to young people aged between 16 and 18.

We also offer further semi-independent accommodation until the age of 25 where there is an identified need for young people who are making the transition from dependent to independent living.

Limitless Homes and Support work with young people to acquire the skills and mindset they need to live successfully within their own accommodation.

We asked 10 members of staff at Limitless Homes and Support and eight LAC in their care, a series of questions, to a, see if the project was a success and b, to get an insight in to knife crime from their points of view.

Results and findings:

Questions were asked to Young People and staff of Limitless Homes and Support in Two parts: Part 1 while pointed kitchen knives were still in use and part 2, after safety kitchen knives replaced the standard kitchen knives.

Additional questions were asked in part 1 about knife crime in general that were not specific to this project in an attempt to get a better understanding of knife crime.

The questions were scored 1 to 5: 1 - not at all worried, 2 – slightly worried, 3 – worried , 4 – very worried and 5 – extremely worried.

The introduction of the safety kitchen knives drastically reduced the worries form staff and young people (YP) at Limitless Homes and Support.

It also enabled the YP access to kitchen knives, breaking down the barriers of the stigma around knives been weapons due to knife crime.

In now allows YP to learn how to use the kitchen knives as they should, to prepare and cook food; enhancing their life skills.

This project also showed that the point of a kitchen knife was mostly used to open the packaging from the food, and not to prepare food; making the point a feature that us not of much use within the kitchen.

By taking the point from the kitchen knives, we reduce the likelihood of them being used as a weapon; eliminating stab wounds, which are the most deadly in regards to knife crime.

With that, by taking the point away, young people do not see then as a weapon, thus, will be less likely to take one to protect themselves.

We understand that a large part of young people felt that others carry knives to protect themselves and social media fuels the current problems with knife crime.

One clear message needs to set around the reality of carrying a knife for protection and the implications of showing knives and sending threats on social media.

When comparing the images of a standard kitchen knife, to a safety kitchen knife, 100% of the people asked found the standard kitchen knives more worrying.

Overall this project was a huge success and the implementation of safety knives is something that should be looked into.

As well as looking at the need of the point on kitchen knives.

We really need to ask ourselves “what is the point?”

We are now in pursuit to build relationships with social care services in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster to help us find more service providers to join the project.

If you ware wanting to get involved or would like to see the full report please email [email protected]