Young people’s voices central to knife crime prevention in Essex
As Knife Crime Awareness Week (18–24 May) begins, Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit (Essex VVU) is shining a light on the importance of listening to young people and working with them to prevent knife harm.
Since its inception in 2019, Essex VVU has brought over £11m into Essex to invest in local delivery. The investments made through the programme bring 3.5 times more benefit than they cost, by keeping young people away from crime. This preventative approach is working and making a difference.
Since 2019/20, knife crime across Essex has been sustainably reduced, with reductions in knife crime of over 25% and over a 50% reduction in young people entering hospital accident and emergency departments with knife related injuries. These outcomes demonstrate that early, targeted intervention is an effective tool for preventing violence and keeping communities safe.
However, Essex VVU know that knife crime remains a concern for young people locally. Young people who took part in the VVU 2025 Listening Project said they worry about their friends getting stabbed and being robbed with a knife. Essex VVU says this disconnect between fear and reality highlights the need for honest conversations, trusted relationships and interventions designed with young people, not just for them. Which is why Essex VVU has worked with local community groups to fund youth groups in accessible and safe locations – as suggested by young people – to help them be, and feel, safe.
Essex VVU brings together partners from across policing, local authorities, health, education and the voluntary and community sector, with a shared focus on prevention, early intervention and long‑term solutions to serious violence. A key part of this approach is ensuring that the lived experience of young people helps to shape the work delivered in schools, communities and services across Essex.
Through initiatives such as Essex VVU’s annual Listening Project, direct engagement in youth settings and co‑created campaigns, Essex VVU works with young people to better understand what makes them feel safe, what worries them, and what support they want to see in their communities.
Roger Hirst, PFCC for Essex and Chair of the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Partnership, said: “We know the fear of knife crime is real for many young people, even when they are not directly involved in violence. That’s why we prioritise co‑creation in our work.
“The devastating consequences of knife crime warrant a proactive approach focused on education. That work must always look to establish a two-way conversation to better understand the motives for why some young people carry knives. Enhancing the opportunities that are available to young people, whilst encouraging their own personal development, is the best way forward.
“Young people are experts in their own lives. When we listen to them and involve them in shaping interventions, campaigns and services, the results are more meaningful, more credible and more effective. Prevention works best when young people feel heard, supported and part of the solution.”
A young person on one of the Essex VVU’s early intervention programmes (ReRoute) said: “Essex VVU listened to me and understood what support I needed most. They helped me work towards getting a college place. The support helped me stop getting into trouble and concentrate on turning my life around for the better.”
During Knife Crime Awareness Week, Essex VVU is encouraging parents, carers, professionals and communities to take time to talk with young people and challenge myths around knife carrying.
For support in having these conversations, our website has a dedicated knife harm resource section, including guidance on spotting warning signs, understanding the risks associated with knife carrying, and advice on how to start calm, age‑appropriate conversations with children and young people.
The resources, available at www.essexvvu.co.uk are designed to support parents who may be worried, unsure how to begin the discussion, or who want reassurance grounded in facts rather than fear.