£700,000 bid to reduce youth knife crime
ENFIELD will benefit from a slice of a £700,000 cash injection in an attempt to cut the amount of knife crime in the borough.
The money will be spent in some of the London boroughs most affected by knife and gun crime recently, including Enfield, to cut the number of young people becoming involved in gangs and violent crime.
The cash, distributed by London Councils, a think-tank and lobbying organisation that promotes the interests of London's 33 councils, is to be given over to four organisations.
The Princes Trust will receive £135,748 to run anti-knife, guns, and gangs workshops to help young people aged between 16 and 24 at risk of falling into violent crime.
London Action Trust, which will operate in Enfield, will receive £221,349 to train young people to mediate in disputes in areas most affected by gun and knife crime in order to resolve disputes peacefully.
The Comedy School will receive £117,800 to expand the It's No Joke project which aims to raise awareness of the consequences of knife crime among 11 to 14 year olds.
And Fairbridge, which supports young people aged 13-25 who are not in education, employment or training, will hold special courses for youngsters to discuss issues associated with being involved in gangs and violent crime.
Chairman of London Councils' grants committee Paul McCannah, who is also Enfield Council portfolio holder for leisure, culture and the 2012 Olympics, said: "London's boroughs want to help young people enjoy their childhood and not feel that the only way they can be fulfilled is to join a gang and be involved in crime.
"The projects we have commissioned are also aimed at helping to break the myth that crime is a glamorous lifestyle.
"If we can achieve this, not only will it help reduce the numbers of youth-related deaths and crimes, but also help our young people build better future for themselves."
Twenty six young people were killed in 2007 in gun or knife crimes in the capital, compared to 17 in 2006.
So far in 2008 nine young people have been killed - five of them in Enfield.
Last year there were 1,392 youth crimes reported in London.
Nationally almost a fifth of all crimes committed by under-18s in 2007 were violent offences, second only to theft.
11:31am Wednesday 7th May 2008
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