Honesty key to taking knives off the streets
A leading youth worker in Nottingham believes explaining the consequence of every action is key to tackling knife crime.
Jeniesha Dodson is the Programmes Manager at Base 51 and leads the organisation’s efforts to tackle knife crime and serious violence by heading into communities and having honest, face-to-face conversations with young people.
She says being upfront when it comes to the dangers of carrying weapons is helping to get the message across that every choice you make is a crucial one.
Base 51 is a Nottingham-based youth support charity whose outreach workers are currently spending three nights per week out on the streets in The Meadows, with three-hour shifts designated to ensuring young people are safe and feel safe in the area they live in.
The detached youth work outreach programme – funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner via the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Violence Reduction Partnership - recognises that some young people don’t access traditional youth clubs – so instead it sends trained professionals to go out to meet young people in their own neighbourhoods.
The aim is to talk to young people, signpost them to local youth services and, where appropriate, refer them into social care, or to drug and alcohol services – taking a public health approach to safeguarding them and reducing the risk of them engaging in violent crime.
Jeniesha, who was speaking as part of Sceptre, a week-long national campaign against knife crime, said: “A key part of our role is to talk to young people about their choices, and the consequences of their actions.
“Often somebody carrying a knife will do so thinking it makes them safer - we know that’s not the case - and encourage them to think further ahead and what the outcome may be for them.
“We’re not here to judge. We’re here to talk and engage them in activities which means they’re not considering getting into a world where trouble may be around the corner.
“It’s not just about engaging with the young people either, it’s being part of the community and talking to local businesses to change their perception of the next generation.”
The innovative detached youth outreach concept is being led by the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Violence Reduction Partnership and was launched in April 2023 in areas of Nottingham where local partners at Nottinghamshire Police and Nottingham City Council believe it may have an impact.
The Violence Reduction Partnership is Home Office funded and is responsible for the strategic leadership and coordination of activity across the City and County to reduce and prevent serious violence using a public health approach. The VRP team is a function of the Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner, and Chair of the Violence Reduction Partnership, Gary Godden, who has made tackling serious violence a key part of his Police and Crime Plan, said: “The work being done to taking knives off the streets of Nottinghamshire is an essential part of improving feelings of safety.
“Throughout Sceptre and beyond we are delivering a very clear message that carrying a knife has devastating consequences for everybody involved.
“Our detached youth outreach programme is really unique in the way it recognises that there is no one-size-fits all approach to tackling issues on our streets.
“Different people engage in different ways we are doing our utmost to meet the diverse needs of young people and make Nottingham and Nottinghamshire a safer place for all.”
Base 51 have moved into The Meadows area after the success of their work in Bulwell during a 12-week stint.
Fellow youth outreach team Al-Hurraya are also doing such work in Bilborough, with the ultimate aim of making the streets of Nottingham safer.
Chief Inspector Karl Thomas, Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime lead, said: “Base 51 is one of our many key partners doing fantastic work in the community, not least in its efforts to educate young people about the consequences of knife crime.
“Police teams work hard every day to take knives off the street and arrest knife carriers. However, we know this enforcement has to go hand-in-hand with engagement and education.
“Our schools officers work alongside partners and charities to ensure we are engaging with young people so they can make informed decisions and stay safe.”