A group of 16-19 year olds from Southwark has collaborated with some of London’s top creative talent to launch a poster campaign with the hard-hitting message that knife crime can only end in two ways – prison or death.
The 15 young men in the group have all been personally affected by knife crime and want to reach out to other young people who may be in danger of falling into gang culture and a life of crime.
Over 10 weeks the group focused their ideas, planned and created the poster campaign with the help of award-winning photographer Niall O’Brien, top illustration agency Moose and Yeti and creative social enterprise Poached Creative.
Southwark charity Faces in Focus, in partnership with Connexions, provided them with advice, information, education and peer support.
Peabody, one of London’s oldest and largest housing associations, backed the project through its youth-led Staying Safe project, which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
The poster was launched at an event on Thursday 12 January held at Art Against Knives’ gallery in Shoreditch.
Raj Khan, 19, said:
“After nine stabbings in the Rockingham Estate between 2009 and 2010 we wanted to do something about it. We hope this poster campaign will influence young people to put down the knives and show them that there’s a path other than crime.”
Stephen Howlett, Peabody Chief Executive, said:
“We want to see this poster on the side of London buses and on billboards. With knife crime increasing in parts of London, the message is too important to ignore.
“England needs more projects like this – projects which give young people opportunities to demonstrate knowledge, potential and responsibility, and to equip themselves with the tools to create personal and social change. Housing associations have a key role to play in developing these sorts of initiatives. We’re incredibly proud, with the help of the Big Lottery Fund, to give our support.”
Jessica Smith, Director of Poached Creative, said:
“The young people involved in this project have been determined to create a poster that will reach others like them and reduce the number of deaths and injuries due to knife crime in London. Youth-led projects like this help young people feel part of their community and build skills that will help them in the future.”
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