Violence reduction lessons being delivered in Scotland's schools

The Justice Secretary has met school pupils delivering a pilot scheme aimed at cutting violent crime among their peers.

The scheme comes Medics Against Violence (MAV), an organisation set up in 2008 in response to the number of violent incidents leaving youngsters injured.

Two Scottish schools are now piloting MAV “interns” among their sixth-year students, who have so far given lessons on violence reduction to more than 700 fellow pupils.

There are plans to extend the initiative to schools across the country.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Violent crime has reduced by 52% between 2006/07 and 2015/16, and recorded crimes of handling an offensive weapon have fallen by 69% over 10 years.

“However, we recognise that there is still more we all need to do.

“The work of Medics Against Violence fits well with our overall approach of prevention and early intervention, and I'm pleased to see they've reached a significant number of school children.

“The interns project, in particular, will help educate our young people on the harm that violent crime can cause as well as its consequences.”

Boclair Academy in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, is one of the schools trialling the scheme.

MAV director Dr Christine Goodall said: “MAV Interns has given us the opportunity to harness the skills and knowledge of young people and the influence they have over their younger peers to deliver very effective and credible violence prevention lessons.

“We take the approach that young people need to look out for each other and this 'keeping the whole school safe' approach has allowed the sixth-year pupils to take a leadership role in making sure that happens.''

Medics Against Violence is funded through the Violence Reduction Unit, which is in turn funded by the Scottish Government.