Knife crime awareness event for youngsters to take place next week

Young people from across the city are coming together at a Youth Summit event next week to explore the issue of knife crime.

Organised by the Leeds Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) and Leeds City Council’s Voice Influence and Change team, the event will take place next Tuesday (16 July) at Pudsey Civic Hall.

The Leeds MYPs are putting on the event in partnership with West Yorkshire Police and Life Experience to help raise awareness of knife crime.

The event is a response to concerns raised by young people in the Make Your Mark ballot where almost 25,000 youngsters aged 11-18 in Leeds (36% of the youth population) voted on their top issues.

The Make Your Mark ballot is the largest youth consultation in the UK and this year’s results found that knife crime was voted one of the top issues for both youngsters in Leeds and nationally.

Since 2016, Leeds City Council’s Voice, Influence and Change team has hosted various Youth Summit events to enable large numbers of young people from across the city to share their views, contribute to citywide consultations and work on campaigns.

This particular Youth Summit event will be attended by over 100 students from secondary schools across the city, all of whom took part in the ballot.

The day will consist of a creative performance based around the issue of knife crime, various workshops, and a session which will encourage attendees to think of ways that they can raise awareness of the dangers of carrying a knife in their schools, local communities and wider city.

Councillor Fiona Venner, Leeds City Council’s executive member for children and families said:

“In Leeds, we value the voice and influence of our children and young people, and recognise the positive contributions that they can make to our communities. Youth Summits are a fantastic forum for young people to come together and express their views on issues that matter to them.

“Knife crime was voted one of the top issues for young people in Leeds so it’s incredibly important that we take their concerns on board. Through working with citywide partners and hosting events such as this one, we hope to educate young people about the negative implications of carrying a knife and encourage them to raise awareness in their schools, local communities and the wider city.

“We are working really hard to drive forward our ambition to make Leeds the best city for children and young people to grow up in, and I am delighted that we are able to engage with our young people about the dangers of knife crime to help ensure that they are safe from harm in our city. I would urge as many young people as possible to get involved in the Youth Summit or some of our amazing Youth Voice groups, such as Leeds Youth Council, to help them develop into active citizens and make their voices heard.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

More information about the Leeds Youth Council can be found at https://breezeleeds.org/have-your-say/leeds-youth-council.

More information about the Leeds Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) can be found at https://breezeleeds.org/have-your-say/uk-youth-parliament-leeds.

For media enquiries please contact:

Leeds City Council communications and marketing

Tel: 0113 378 6007

Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk