SCOTLAND
Anti-knife crime scheme launches in Glasgow
A Scottish government initiative aimed at tackling knife crime among young people has been launched in Glasgow.
The launch of Sharp Solutions, a youth work programme developed as part of the No Knives, Better Lives initiative, follows a successful pilot scheme at four sites across Scotland in June.
One of the pilot areas was YMCA Glasgow’s Calm Project in the Pollok area of Glasgow where Youth Link Scotland and YMCA Glasgow staff tested the programme with a group of young volunteers from the project’s advisory group.
The programme can involve general awareness-raising with a wide variety of young people through to specific work with those involved in offending.
The initiative aims to support youth workers and other professionals who work with young people to raise awareness and help tackle the issues surrounding knife crime and violence.
Joe Connolly, chief executive of YMCA Glasgow, said: "The use of knives among Scotland’s young people continues to be a major concern for all sections of the community. Too many lives have already been lost as a result of knife crime and it is vital that initiatives such as Sharp Solutions raise awareness of this issue and that action is taken to remove this blight from our towns and cities."
Neil Puffett
14 September 2010
