Youth workers play a very important role when it comes to the reduction of young people carrying knives. The G15 Youth Project operates in the north west of Glasgow with young people aged 12-25. The area we work in has historically been known for high levels of anti-social behaviour, violence and territorialism and unfortunately has this has included young people carrying knives.

We tackle poverty related violence on a day to day basis, through informal conversations with young people (teachable moments), 1 to 1 support, street-work, groupwork sessions, specific issue-based workshops, and our weekly open youth club and daily drop in sessions.

We also deliver a programme of diversionary activities for young people with the aim to take them away from their normal environment at times when they are most at risk. These activities range from arts, sports, physical activity and sometimes full residential activity weekends.

Over the past year our youth workers have received training on the NKBL resource pack, Sharper Solutions. This training has been invaluable when it comes to our anti-violence groupwork sessions and workshops. Staff and volunteers have noticed how much more engaged the young people are when we deliver these sessions. 

The variety of activities available in the pack and session planners has meant we can deliver follow on sessions. We are now hoping to deliver some NKBL sessions within our local high school in the new term to young people who are directly at risk of knife carrying.

The NKBL resources complement the work that we do and services we offer.  We have already changed some young people’s attitudes and seen more young people engaged on this topic. Key to this has been empowering young people to give their open and honest views when it comes to the reduction of knife carrying. We believe that this engagement is crucial in helping young people move towards a knife free culture.

Robert Macklin

G15 Youth Project