Lives Not Knives

Lives Not Knives (LNK) is a youth-led nonprofit organization and charity based in London, dedicated to preventing youth violence, specifically knife crime, through tailored mentorship and support. Registered under the charity number 1153634, LNK focuses on young people aged 9 to 21 in communities most affected by violence, providing guidance and resources to steer them away from harmful behaviors.

Background and Context

Knife crime has been recognized as a significant national issue in the UK, with offenses having reached record levels in recent years. In 2018 alone, there were approximately 40,000 knife crime offenses nationwide. Lives Not Knives was established in response to this epidemic, aiming to address the root causes of youth violence through community-based interventions and personalized mentorship[2].

Mission and Objectives

The core mission of Lives Not Knives is to prevent youth violence in London by offering tailored mentorship and advice to vulnerable young people. The organization strives to reduce incidents of knife crime by engaging with at-risk youth and providing them with positive alternatives and support systems. Their approach is youth-led and community-focused, ensuring that interventions are relevant and effective for the populations they serve[1][2][5].

Programmes and Activities

Lives Not Knives delivers a variety of programs, including:

• Mentorship and Advice: Offering a one-on-one mentoring model tailored to the needs of young people aged 9-21, aimed at preventing involvement in violence.
• Violence Prevention Training: Providing training and educational resources on violence prevention to teachers and support staff in schools with high exclusion rates, particularly targeting those pupils most at risk[4].
• Community Engagement Events: Collaborating with partners such as Amazon Web Services to distribute essential supplies to families in need, thereby supporting community resilience and wellbeing[1].
• Youth-Led Initiatives: Empowering young people to take an active role in shaping violence prevention efforts and fostering positive peer influence[3].

Team and Expertise

The Lives Not Knives team comprises highly motivated individuals, many of whom have personal experience with youth violence, enabling them to engage authentically with the community. All staff members are trained in youth work, equipping them with the necessary skills to build trusting relationships and offer effective guidance to at-risk young people[2][5].

Recognition and Funding

Lives Not Knives has received funding from prominent sources such as the Youth Endowment Fund, supporting initiatives like the "LNK Educate" project, which focuses on knife crime education and violence prevention in schools and colleges. This project has undergone evaluation by NatCen Social Research to assess its feasibility and impact[4].

Impact and Outreach

Lives Not Knives continues to be active in media and public discourse on youth violence, raising awareness and advocating for change. The charity’s efforts have been recognized as a meaningful contribution to reducing knife crime and supporting vulnerable youth in London[2].

Lives Not Knives stands out as a committed organization addressing one of the UK’s most pressing public safety issues through a community-centric, youth-empowering approach, emphasizing tailored mentorship and education to create safer futures for young people in London.

[1] https://www.livesnotknives.org/node/40 [2] https://www.livesnotknives.org/about [3] https://www.instagram.com/lnkcharity/ [4] https://youthendowmentfund.org.uk/funding/who-we-fund/lives-not-knives/ [5] https://www.cpduk.co.uk/providers/lives-not-knives