Reducing the risks associated with knife crime and gang involvement

Timing matters: Knife crime and gang recruitment often occur after school when young people are unsupervised. By providing a safe, structured space during these hours, the program reduces opportunities for youths to be exposed to dangerous environments.

Supervision and positive influence: The presence of teachers, tutors, and mentors at the hubs ensures that students are in the company of responsible adults who can guide their behaviour and provide support if issues arise.

Boosting academic performance: Low academic achievement is often linked to future criminal behaviour. Afterschool tutoring can help students improve their grades, leading to greater self-confidence and reduced frustration. This also opens up pathways for further education or employment.

Focus on the future: By emphasizing the importance of education, students are more likely to focus on long-term goals like career opportunities, which reduces the allure of gangs that offer quick but dangerous rewards.

Disrupting recruitment tactics: Gangs often target young people who are isolated, struggling in school, or seeking belonging.

Afterschool hubs offer a sense of community, making students less likely to seek out gangs for friendship, protection, or status.

Awareness and intervention: The program can provide targeted interventions to students at risk of gang involvement, offering counselling, conflict resolution strategies, and education on the dangers of crime.

Community partnerships: The hubs can work with local organizations, community leaders, and law enforcement to provide a holistic approach to tackling knife crime. By partnering with police or community safety programs, the hubs can raise awareness about knife crime and provide proactive solutions.
Referral systems: Tutors and mentors can identify at-risk youth and refer them to appropriate services (e.g., counseling, youth diversion programs) before they become entrenched in crime or gangs.

Involving families: The hubs can also provide opportunities for parental engagement through workshops and family counseling. This strengthens the support network around the student, reducing the likelihood of family breakdowns, which are often linked to youth crime.

Family support services: Offering guidance to families on how to better support their children’s education and emotional needs can help prevent youths from seeking unhealthy outlets.

Role models: Tutors and mentors can become positive role models for students, offering guidance, support, and encouragement to make better choices.

Emotional support: Many young people involved in crime come from challenging home environments. Having an adult who listens to their concerns, understands their situation, and provides emotional guidance can reduce the likelihood of them seeking a sense of belonging in gangs.

Productive use of time: When young people are engaged in educational activities, they have less idle time to become involved in criminal behavior. The hubs can offer a mix of tutoring, recreational activities, and skill-building workshops.

Extracurricular enrichment: Providing students with opportunities to develop new skills (e.g., sports, music, art, or coding) helps them channel their energy into productive areas, giving them a sense of purpose and achievement that gangs often promise.

Peer influence: In an afterschool hub, students are surrounded by peers who are also focusing on positive, academic goals. This fosters a supportive environment where academic achievement and personal development are valued over delinquent behavior.

Social integration: By fostering a sense of community and belonging within the hub, students form strong friendships with positive peer groups, reducing their likelihood of seeking out gang affiliations.

Life skills education: Afterschool hubs can teach essential life skills such as conflict resolution, emotional regulation, and decision-making. These skills help students manage disputes without resorting to violence and develop resilience to peer pressure.

Promoting non-violent solutions: By engaging with counselors or mental health professionals, students learn healthy ways to express emotions, preventing them from turning to aggression or criminal behavior.

Educational workshops: Afterschool hubs can host workshops on the dangers and consequences of knife crime, using real-life stories, statistics, and interactive sessions to drive home the message.

Promoting awareness: Partnering with local anti-knife crime campaigns, the program can raise awareness about the legal, physical, and emotional costs of carrying knives or joining gangs.