What's The Point - Schools Knife Crime Prevention (Primary & Secondary)
From "Stratford & West Ham Community Assemblies 2022"
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Safer Communities
According to the Mayor's own youth safety report in 2019, Stratford is in the top 3 areas for high rates of Knife Crime in the borough. Of particular concern are E20/New Town and recent stabbings and loss of teenager’s lives living and studying in Stratford. We know the biggest reason for carrying knives by young people is fear and self-defence. 'What's The Point' is a proven, Home Office backed knife prevention project targeting influencers in schools to enable them to change the culture around carrying knives, to have a 'teachable moment' through meeting members of the community whose live have been impacted by knife violence (including ex-gang members) and sharing stories. They will learn emergency first aid skills, build empathy and understand the consequences to the decision to carry. WTP has proven to have saved the life of a young person who knew what to do when they were attacked whilst waiting for emergency paramedics. The project successfully ran in 6 schools in Canning Town/Custom House in 2021/22 after being voted for by residents and has support of local government. We aim to include more community volunteers from the area to participate and enable young people to build a safer community.
MARCH UPDATE
5 Local Schools
• West Ham Primary
• Carpenters
• Sarah Bonnell Secondary
• School 21 (Primary)
• School 21 (Secondary) starting April
What has changed in ST & WH?
• 40 pupils have had a ‘teachable moment’ through 39 hours of intensive youth work
• They presented their journey with their voice to their peers, 180 children (Yr6) & over 237 young people (Yr10)
• Spoken commitment from those 417 pupils to ‘call out’ carrying knives/look out for each other in secondary school
• Targeting ‘fearful-carriers’ so potentially hundreds of knives won’t be carried on the streets of ST/WH
Local Community Partnerships
• Suzie & Darrell from Newham Met – shares about what it is like as a first responder trying to a stabbing
• Rev Dave Chesney (Newham Dean for CofE) – shares about how Jodie’s murder affected him and his family
• Isaac Attram (Resident) shared about the murder of his son
• G4G youth workers ex-gang members – share about what it is like being stabbed and what gangs expect of you
#8MinutesToSaveALife
• It takes 8 minutes for an ambulance to arrive on the scene of a stabbing, and in that time you could help save a life.
• Street Doctors have provided 4/5 sessions (with the 5th due next month) to 50 children and young people to be equipped to give emergency first aid to someone who has been stabbed
Sustainability
• Canning Town/Custom House successfully seeded in 2021/22, supported by a grant to continue 2022/23 (another 5 schools – so our reach is actually 1,500 across Newham borough)
• Approaching local business (Westfield)
• Comments on Co-Create indicative of support/desire to see WTP provision allocated financial support in the borough
• Heads to advocate with other schools to open more doors in ST next year
• Potential to have 3 teams deliver the project
