New Thames Valley knife safety campaign launched
'Stay true to you' coincides with knife crime awareness week and is being supported by the mother of murdered Reading schoolboy Olly Stephens
Last updated 17th May 2024
A new knife safety campaign has been launched to coincide with knife crime awareness week.
“Stay True to You” has been developed by the Thames Valley Violence Prevention Partnership and takes a deliberately positive approach to empowering young people and helping those who work to support them.
The campaign is being supported by the mother of murdered Reading schoolboy Olly Stephens.
Honest
Amanda Stephens said:
"Having it as much more open honest conversation where children aren't being told what to do or lectured, it is trying to move away from any feelings of shock and be much more engaging than that."
And Amanda says she wishes the material had been available before Olly was killed:
"Really the fourteen months before he was murdered you know so much was happening and so much that was scaring us and I think scaring him if we could have had information around the dangers around social media harm, knife crime I just think for us and for Olly we'd have been in such a stronger position."
'Stay true to you' offers:
• A new website - staytruetoyou.co.uk - providing advice, resources and signposting to support and services
• Leading knife crime charity The Ben Kinsella Trust is offering a series of free online parent/carer information sessions throughout June.
o Thursday 6 June - 6:30-8:30pm
o Tuesday 11 June - 6:30-8:30pm
o Thursday 20 June - 1-3pm
o Friday 28 June - 10am-12pm
• Materials and training sessions are being offered to all those who have a role working with young people – from youth workers to teachers, sports coaches to community volunteers
• Workshops will be given in schools and youth groups to help young people to acknowledge the things they can do for themselves to stay safe and to consider who they can ask for help if needed.
Also published are the findings of the research which underpins the campaign, conducted with young people and youth workers from across the Thames Valley. It explored what they think causes - and helps prevent - conflict and violence, and how best to communicate with young people.
• Young people want – and need – to make their own decisions about their safety, to be confident to make their own positive choices, without being patronised
• Fear is the biggest driver to conflict, leading to weapon carrying and escalation into violence. It is caused by the influences around them and not knowing what to do or who to ask for help
• The power of trusted adults – parents, teachers, youth workers, sports coaches, community volunteers; these are the people that young people listen to for advice and would turn to if they need help
• All adults have a role to play and it is through good supportive conversations that they can build trust and help young people
• Young people wanted a vibrant and upbeat approach – without traumatic images and dwelling heavily on future consequences; they live in the here and now!
Be positive
Jules Bottazzi, Head of the Violence Prevention Partnership, said:
“In designing this new approach to help promote safety for young people we have responded to what they told us:
“Be positive, don’t speak down to us, instead help us be confident to make the right choices, and to know there is always someone to speak to if needed.
“We know the best chance of reaching young people is through those adults they trust for advice – their parents, teachers, but in particular youth workers, sports coaches, volunteers, community or faith group leaders.
“We have new resources and training opportunities to help, so if you’re starting a conversation with someone about safety, start with the Stay True to You approach and resources.”
The website and resources are available at staytruetoyou.co.uk
Online information sessions will be offered by the Ben Kinsella Trust through to the end of July, with dates to be public publicised via the website.