NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
ACTIVITY
Back in May 2008 the Home Office launched a three year national marketing campaign to reduce the number of 10-16 year olds who carry knives. Backed by research which identified that young people would be the most influential messengers to deliver this campaign, the Home Office brought together 18 young people from across England and Wales to design the campaign. These young people came up with the idea for It Doesn't Have to Happen (IDHTH) and developed a series of adverts to deliver the message that "if you carry a knife, you're more likely to get stabbed yourself".
IDHTH research has found that young people need to hear from others like themselves who can talk first hand about the harsh consequences of knife crime, in order for our messages to get through. This year the IDHTH campaign will be using the power of credible peer voices to promote the strong message "carry a knife and lose your life" to young people. It will focus on the punitive and physical consequences of carrying a knife.
Advertising
Two 60 second adverts have been developed to illustrate the punitive and physical consequences of knife crime, using testimonies inspired by real-life experience. The first of these films, based in a prison is available on YouTube and Bebo and will be played on TV music channels Kiss, The Box, 4 Music and Kerrang later in October. The second film will be available for viewing towards the end of this year.
These films are accompanied by anti-knife crime posters in buses across the UK in the Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP), which are now live. Posters will also appear in buses in February 2010.
Posters and stickers will also be placed in male and female toilet areas in youth clubs and leisure centres across the country. These convey the message that by carrying a knife, young people risk flushing away their opportunities. These come in three designs (a rapper, a model and a footballer scenario) and will be available at the end of October for you to order for your own local activities.
Youth taskforce
This year, IDHTH launched a new youth taskforce; a group of 27 young campaigners aged between 15 and 20 with first hand experience of knife crime, who will spread anti-knife crime messages to their peers.
The youth taskforce has already taken over the editorial for the IDHTH Bebo site for young people, and more recently came together to produce an anti-knife crime campaign track featuring top house music artists. The track, entitled "Don't Shank Just Skank" is available to download from the IDHTH Bebo site.
Poster advertising
Until January 2010, the campaign will reach young people through poster advertising near schools within the Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP) areas. These posters illustrate the consequences of knife crime and carry a powerful simple message: "carry a knife and lose your life". These posters, featuring prison scenes, are based on research which has shown that the most effective messages are those that illustrate the real-life consequences of knife crime.
Talk About Knives
Talk About Knives is a secondary campaign strand targeting mothers and matriarchs.
Talk About Knives leaflets urge mothers to talk to their children about knives before it's too late. With support from campaign web pages on DirectGov, Talk About Knives provides guidance on how to broach the subject of knife-crime, and how to spot signs that a child might be carrying, or thinking about carrying, a knife. It also offers ideas and advice for mothers who want to work with other parents and carers to take a local stand against knife crime.