STOP campaign launches in Wolverhampton to keep young people out of crime

Stop Tools Oppressing People (STOP) has been launched in the West Midlands to keep young people safe from violent crime.

Author: Katie JonesPublished 21st Jun 2024

An anti-knife-crime campaign, designed to lead young people down the right path, has been launched in Wolverhampton.

It's been set up by the InPower Academy, which runs wellbeing sessions in the city.

One of InPower's youth workers and an organiser of the campaign lauch, Neeco Chambers has told us, the West Midlands needs youth provision to keep young people away from knife crime.

"It's needed right? It's an anti-knife crime program that gets in really early. We're looking to work with primary school children, year 3 up to year 6 to deter them from a life of crime.

"It's also looking at telling them what the result is in real life because what it looks like to them and what they're exposed to is completely different to actual life which is what the base of the program is formed on."

The campaign aims to teach young people crime isn't worth it by guiding them into hobbies like boxing.

InPower Academy was born from an idea that young people, regardless of their situation, circumstance or community, believe they can be great.

Neeco has experienced crime in his life too. He told us he used to carry a knife to protect himself and now wants to make a difference and show others that it is not worth it.

InPower are hoping to expand the campaign to Dudley, West Bromwich and even Birmingham in the future.

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