A mentor can be one of the most positive role models in a young person’s life. By building a strong, trusting relationship with a suitable adult brings many emotional, social and developmental benefits – may of which directly reduce the risk of children’s involvement in violence.  How mentoring helps prevent youth violence  Mentoring can significantly…

The Annual Youth Work Conference, delivered in partnership with the National Youth Agency, came at a critical and timely moment. After years of austerity that slashed youth sector income by 60%, and with Labour now laying the groundwork for a national youth work strategy, this gathering offered a welcome opportunity for decision-makers to connect, reflect,…

As a youth worker I used to regularly deliver workshops using UK rap and drill music to engage with young people at risk of exclusion and violence. This ranged from printing out lyrics to dissect with groups of secondary school students, to holding recording studio sessions in youth clubs, to chairing philosophical debates and sparking…

This week the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) published the final Children, Violence and Vulnerability (CVV) report from 2024. The survey asked more than 10,000 teenagers across England and Wales about their perceptions and experiences of violence, making it the largest of its kind ever completed. It helps us to understand the national picture of how…