A new benefit to support 16 to 24 year olds into work if they have been unemployed for six months will open for applications today (Monday 17 August).
Job Start Payment is a one off £250 payment to help with the costs of starting a new job. The upper age limit rises to 25 for care leavers and the payment rises to £400 if the person has a child.
In its first year, it is estimated around 5,000 young people will benefit from this new financial support.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I am delighted that our Job Start Payment is today now open for applications; it really couldn’t come at a better time to support our young people to take up job offers.
“Young people are among those whose job prospects have been hardest hit by this pandemic. As such, it is crucial that we support them and ensure they are at the heart of our economic recovery from COVID-19.
“Last week, we announced an additional £10 million for a range of measures to recruit and retain apprentices. Combined with our commitment of at least £50 million for youth employment and the Scotland’s Youth Guarantee, we will ensure no one is left behind.
“Building on this work to create opportunities, this new benefit will also help young people after a period of unemployment. Getting a job can represent a massive turning point for many young people, but it can also bring financial pressures.
“Costs like travel, new work clothes, or childcare often have to be met before people get their first pay.
“The brand new Job Start Payment will help young people with these costs, which can sometimes be a barrier to them taking up an offer and we will be encouraging anyone eligible to apply. ”
Skills Development Scotland’s Director of Career Information Advice Guidance Operations, James Russell said: “This new payment will offer welcomed practical help to many young people who our advisers are supporting at this time.
“It will be especially important to those taking their next steps into employment and who may need some additional support to start the right career opportunity for them.”
According to teen magazine Future-Mag, more than half (54 per cent) of graduates say they’d think again about choosing university as the best way to find a job.
If you don’t fancy another three years of study, can’t face the debt, or didn’t get the results you were expecting, don’t worry. There are plenty of routes into careers that that don’t require you to have a degree.
These new opportunities are partly thanks to a rise in apprenticeships since the government has invested more in professional training.
Here’s a line-up of some top jobs you can do without a degree:
1.Nurse
The Lowdown
If you’ve been thinking of becoming a nurse but don’t want to go to university full-time this could be for you. The government has just announced a massive £172m investment into nursing, the money is to allow healthcare employers to take on up to 2,000 nursing degree apprentices every year over the next four years.
Getting There
Nursing apprenticeships offer an alternative to full-time university courses, allowing people to earn a salary while their tuition costs are paid. At the end of the apprenticeship – which usually takes four years – apprentices are able to qualify as fully registered nurses.
You’ll usually need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship. Pay: £24,907 to £37,890
2.Air Traffic Controller
The lowdown
24 hours a day, they help to keep some of the busiest airspace in the world moving. The work is challenging and demanding, but it’s immensely rewarding too. Air traffic controllers give information and advice to airline pilots to help them take off and land safely and on time.
Getting There
You have to be over 18 and have at least five GCSEs or equivalent at Grade 4 or above (previously A-C) or Scottish Nationals 5 Grade A-C or equivalent, including English and maths.As well as having a good level of physical and mental fitness, you must satisfy the basic medical requirements set down by the Civil Aviation Authority.
The National Air Traffic Control Service (NATS) has developed a series of games to help gauge whether you’re right for this career. Pay: £17,000 to £50,000
3Solicitor
The lowdown It’s not quite ‘Better Ask Saul’… in reality Solicitors advise clients about the law and act on their behalf in legal matters, and can specialise in a host of areas, including contract, criminal, commercial and family law, and much more.
Getting there
You can now become a solicitor by training on the job since new solicitor apprenticeships (level 7) which were approved in 2015. This isn’t an easy route – you’ll need to pass a series of tough exams. You’ll need good A levels and it can take five to six years to complete. Pay £25,000 to £100,000
4 Visual Effects Artist
The lowdown
They help artists produce all the whizzy visual effects (VFX). They assist senior VFX artists and prepare the elements required for the final shots. Eventually they’ll be employed by post production companies working on commercials, television series and feature films.
Getting there
You could do a practical short course at London’s MetFilm School (Ealing Studios) and try to get into the industry that way, or do an apprenticeship via Next Gen
Pay from £18,000to £50,000once qualified
5 Computer forensic analyst(cyber security)
What do they do?
Investigate and thwart cyber crime. They might work for the police or security services, or for computer security specialists and in house teams. They’ll follow and analyse electronic data, ultimately to help uncover cyber crime such as commercial espionage, theft, fraud or terrorism.
Getting there
Cyber security professionals are in high demand in both the public and private sector in the wake of high level breaches and perceived terrorism threats. And there’s a severe shortage of qualified professionals. Cyber security higher apprenticeships (level 4) are offered by major infrastructure and energy companies and – excitingly – the security services. Pay £20,000 to £60,000
6 Estate Agent
The Lowdown An estate agent’s lot isn’t quite as chaotic as the comedy ‘Stath Lets Flats’, might lead you to believe, in reality, estate agents sell and rent out commercial and residential property, acting as negotiators between buyers and sellers.
Getting there Some estate agents offer an intermediate apprenticeship as a junior estate agent, or you may be able to start as a trainee sales negotiator and learn on the job.
Pay: Estate agents often work on commission which means that you have a basic salary and also earn a percentage of the sale or rental price of any property you sell or rent. £15,000to£40,000
7Police Officer
The lowdown This is another profession where the Government has pumped in large amounts of cash to help recruit new coppers. If you’ve been considering this as a career, now could be the right time to apply. Police officers keep law and order, investigate crime, and support crime prevention.
Getting there There is no formal educational requirement, for direct application but you will have to be physically fit and pass written tests. Or, you could start by doing a police constable degree apprenticeship. You’ll usually need: 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and college qualifications like A levels for a degree apprenticeship.
You can get a taste of what it’s like to work with the police by volunteering as a special constable.
Investigate and thwart cyber crime. They might work for the police or security services, or for computer security specialists and in house teams. They’ll follow and analyse electronic data, ultimately to help uncover cyber crime such as commercial espionage, theft, fraud or terrorism.
Getting there
Cyber security professionals are in high demand in both the public and private sector in the wake of high level breaches and perceived terrorism threats. And there’s a severe shortage of qualified professionals. Cyber security higher apprenticeships (level 4) are offered by major infrastructure and energy companies and – excitingly – the security services. Pay £20,000 to £60,000
9 Public Relations officer
The Lowdown Public relations (PR) officers manage an organisation’s public image and reputation. You migh get involved in planning PR campaigns, monitoring and reacting to the public and media, writing and editing press releases, speeches, newsletters, leaflets, brochures and websites, creating content on social media much more.
Getting there There is no set entry route to become a public relations officer but it may be useful to do a relevant subject at college, like a Foundation Certificate in Marketing. You can work towards this role by doing a public relations assistant higher apprenticeship.
Entry requirements You’ll usually need: 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship. Pay £18,000 to £90,000
10 Youthworker
What do they do?
Work with young people and help them develop personally and socially. They might work with local services, youth offending teams or voluntary organisations and community groups. They might help organise sports and other activities, or be involved on counselling and mentoring, or liaising with authorities.
Getting there
Many enter youth work as a volunteer or paid worker, but you can now qualify via a youth work apprenticeship. Pay £23,250 to £37,500
11Army officer
The Lowdown Undergo leadership training before choosing from a wide range of specialisms, including; platoon commander, helicopter pilot, intelligence, logistics… even work in military medicine and healthcare.
How do you get there?
You’ll typically need 5 GCSEs at grade 9 to 4 (A* to C) or above and 2 A levels. You’ll have to take aptitude and ability tests, pass a fitness test and interview before a more rigorous assessment to see if you’re capable mentally and physically. Pay £27,273 to £42,009.
A total of £60 million will be invested in a Youth Guarantee to give all young people access to work, training or education, Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has confirmed.
An implementation plan for Scotland’s Youth Guarantee is currently being developed. Funding will come from the additional £100 million Scottish Government investment for employment and skills announced last month.
Speaking to Parliament, Ms Hyslop set out more detail about what the Youth Guarantee will aim to achieve.
She said: “The young people who will make up our future workforce are among those who have been hardest hit by this pandemic. We must support our young people and I want to send a clear message to them today.
“I can announce that the Scottish Government will be committing £60m of the £100m employability fund to support Scotland’s Youth Guarantee, targeted at those most in need of support. This will support young people in a range of ways to help make the transition into work.
“I will bring forward more detail on how we will use this investment with the implementation plan, but I can say now that it will be targeted at those most in need of support, to help them make the transition into work.
“To succeed, we must invest quickly to support a range of interventions to keep young people in work in the next few weeks, to encourage employers to recruit more young people, and to ensure we have enough provision in colleges and elsewhere in the system to prepare young people for future opportunities.
“We must work collaboratively across the private sector, third sector and public sector to ensure no one is left behind, and give them every opportunity in life.
“We want employers to have a clear leadership role. I will encourage employers in all sectors to come forward and support what I see as a crucial intervention to prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) leaving a lasting impact on the employment opportunities of our young people, but also to recognise and promote the valuable and positive role that young people have to play in our economy.”
The Youth Guarantee was one of the main recommendations of the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery.
The implementation plan is currently being developed by Sandy Begbie, who chaired the Developing the Young Workforce Group in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian and helped design the Edinburgh Guarantee for young people.
Last week the Flexible Workforce Development Fund was doubled to £20 million, to allow employers to upskill and reskill workers for new markets. A further £1.5 million was announced for Business Gateway’s Digital Boost programme to help SMEs adapt to new online digital market challenges – almost trebling the capacity of the initiative for the remainder of this financial year.
As schools reopen, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, has warned of a mental health “perfect storm” for children and young people.
The warning comes on the back of figures obtained by BBC Scotland via an FOI request which indicate that the number of referrals for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has dropped by a staggering 57 per cent* between April and June 2019 and April and June 2020.
These range from a 28 per cent fall in requests for NHS Orkney to 80 per cent in NHS Dumfries and Galloway. NHS Lothian reported a drop of 48%.
The SCSC has warned that mental health services will face an overwhelming and unprecedented pressure due to pent-up demand created by the COVID-19 lockdown, coupled with a cut in youth support services. This could potentially lead to a “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.
It has urged the Scottish Government to work with authorities and invest significantly in mental health services as children return to school and to ensure that teachers and other staff are aware of the services on offer for young people needing support.
The SCSC has warned that self-isolation and social distancing have had an impact on young people struggling with issues such as anxiety and depression. It has noted that even the most resilient children are going to need additional support as they navigate this transition back into whatever is the new normal, and some will need a lot of extra support.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “These latest figures are deeply troubling and point to a ‘perfect storm’ for our young people, with increased demand coupled with cuts in services.
“While referrals have dropped during lockdown and children are not accessing support, we are storing up immense problems for the future as mental health services face being overwhelmed due to greatly increased demand.
“The Government needs to work urgently with the relevant authorities to ensure that not only is there sufficient provision available at the local level, but that this is clearly communicated and easily accessible for young people and their parents or carers.
“Mental health services must be given funding and resources equal to that of physical health provision and this pandemic has ushered in an urgency and necessity that cannot be ignored.
“Not just the NHS but also third sector and other independent organisations who play such a key role in addressing mental health services must receive the funding they vitally need or we face having a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable children and young people.”
Support needed for children as they return to school,says NSPCC
An NSPCC Scotland spokesperson said: “We know that many children in Scotland have suffered difficult and traumatic experiences over the past few months.
“During lockdown, we saw a rise in contacts to Childline about mental and emotional health and our NSPCC helpline made 40% more referrals to Police Scotland and local authorities.
“Now, as children across the country return to school, it is crucial they are given the support they need to help them recover from any mental and physical harm. The Scottish Government, local authorities and health boards need to ensure that they have sufficient resources in place to respond to a likely increased need for therapeutic services.”
Young carers provide unpaid care for a family member or a friend, who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.
The Festival provided the opportunity for young carers to meet other young people in similar situations, share new experiences and of course, have fun! The event also provided a national celebration for young carers to share their experiences, the impact that caring has on them and to suggest changes that could make their lives better.
Carers Trust Scotland and the Scottish Government have been working with young carers and their services to plan a new kind of Festival this year!
Scottish Government funding is providing over £100,000 for Carers Trust Scotland to administer a small-grant scheme to eligible young carer services. These services will be able to apply for funding to provide fun and respite to the young carers they support. The outcomes of this scheme are broad to ensure that services can take a local, tailor-made approach in supporting their young people and provide meaningful respite in a safe way.
Furthermore, Carers Trust Scotland will bring Festival fun to young people through our first ever virtual Festival, “Best of the Fest!” On Wednesday 5 August to Friday 7 August, there will be the opportunity for young carers to take part in dozens of activities and events including; mindfullness, yoga, magic shows, paint a-longs and live music!
Resources will also be shared on our website for young people to access at any time after the virtual Festival has taken place.
Our traditional marketplace at the Festival, which invites organisations to promote their services and resources to young carers and their services, will also be found online this year! Organisations such as Young Scot and the Scottish Youth Parliament will host live workshops for young carers and youth workers to find out more about the opportunities available.
This year’s alternative Scottish Young Carers Festival takes place during a challenging time for many young carers. A new Carers Trust Scotland survey shows the pandemic’s dramatic impact on the wider wellbeing of young carers in Scotland.
Meaningful respite for these young people is more important than ever, with 42% of young adult carers in Scotland stating they are unable to take a break from caring as a result of Coronavirus.
Furthermore, 69% of young carers and 76% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey felt less able to stay in touch with friends since coronavirus.74% of young carers and 73% of young adult carers in Scotland also said they are feeling less connected to others since coronavirus.
The results point to a steep decline in the mental health and wellbeing of young people across Scotland who provide unpaid care for family members or friends.
These results highlight the need for continued support to young carers and the opportunity for meaningful respite and engagement opportunities throughout the year. Despite the cancellation of our Scottish Young Carers Festival, our small-grant scheme and online activities aim to provide fun and respite to these young people in alternative, safe ways.
Minister for Public Health, Joe FitzPatrick said: “Young carers make a vitally important contribution to our society. Often though, because of their responsibilities, they haven’t got the same amount of free time and opportunities as their peers.
“Although the Festival cannot take place this year, I hope young carers across the country will be able to benefit from the Scottish Government funded small grant scheme which will enable local services to provide them with some much deserved respite and extra support.”
Paul Traynor, Policy and External Affairs Manager of Carers Trust Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be working with Scottish Government to deliver these new kind of Festival activities for young carers across Scotland for 2020.
“The pandemic has been difficult for a lot of young carers and many have reported taking on additional caring responsibilities, feeling isolated, and feeling disconnected to their friends and wider communities.
“Although some young carers may be disappointed that the annual Scottish Young Carers Festival event has been cancelled, the small-grant scheme provides new opportunities for local young carer services to plan and deliver activities to ensure young carers still have an opportunity to get a break from caring and have fun.
“We also hope that our ‘Best of the Fest’ virtual events will provide that Festival feeling that gives young carers the opportunity to be children and young people first.”
A Scottish Parliament Committee has warned that more needs to be done to ensure that young people who need help with their mental health can access support at the earliest opportunity.
A Scottish Parliament Committee has warned that more needs to be done to ensure that young people who need help with their mental health can access support at the earliest opportunity.
In a report published yesterday, the Public Petitions Committee has said that despite efforts to improve the provision of early intervention mental health services, more needs to be done to ensure that young people feeling low or anxious, or both, can access advice and support.
The Committee’s inquiry into mental health support for young people in Scotland was driven by petition PE1627, which called for consultation with, and consent from, a parent or guardian before prescribing medication to treat mental ill health if the patient is under 18 years of age. The petition was lodged by Annette McKenzie following the tragic death of her daughter, Britney, from an overdose of prescription medication.
While there was limited support for the primary action being called for in the petition, the Committee backed the current guidance, which asks GPs to encourage patients to speak to their families and seek support.
MSPs were however concerned by the evidence heard highlighting serious concerns about the experiences of young people seeking help for their mental health, particularly for the first time.
Some young people explained that they felt cast aside by their GP, despite their obvious signs of distress, and in some cases, the distress escalated to self-harming and attempting suicide.
During its inquiry, the Committee found that young people, and those supporting them, are often unaware of the availability of initial support services. As a result, young people are often inappropriately referred to specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) only to be rejected for not meeting NHS board criteria.
While the Committee welcomed the Government’s commitment to ensure every secondary school has access to counselling services, it warned that this alone will not address the wide-ranging needs of young people. It can therefore only be part of a larger package of measures, complementing existing services and forms of support.
To achieve this, the Committee has made recommendations for the Scottish Government, COSLA, integration authorities and Education Scotland.
These include:
• That authorities set out clear pathways to support for young people seeking help by the end of 2020. • That there should be local ‘inventories’ of mental health services in each area so it is clear to professionals what support is available in each area. This work should be completed no later than by the end of 2020. • That work is undertaken to identify how to support parents and carers in accessing information about their children’s mental health, as well as signposting them to the right services. • That the provision of school counsellors is reviewed to ensure they are delivering their services most effectively; and that Personal and Social Education (PSE) becomes more relevant and empowering for young people.
The counsellor review should be reported to Parliament by early 2022, with the Government review of PSE due to be implemented in March 2021.
• That teachers are empowered to identify and support young people with their mental health. Mental health first aid training should be included in Initial Teacher Education by the start of academic year 2021/22. • That the Government should consider ways to help employers of young people fulfil their duty of care when it comes to supporting their mental wellbeing.
The Committee also recognised the efforts and dedication of all those supporting young people, and hope that this work will allow young people themselves, as well as parents, carers, teachers, medical professionals, and others working with young people to feel able to find the right help.
Committee Convener Johann Lamont MSP, said: “The Committee wants to recognise the work of Annette McKenzie, who has shown such courage in highlighting the concerns in her petition. She has done so in circumstances which no parent should ever have to face.
“During the Committee’s work on the inquiry, we have found a troubling picture.
“Though anyone can experience low mood, anxiety, or both, at some point in their life, when it comes to seeking support, young people often find themselves facing a cluttered and even confusing landscape, which too frequently does not provide the support needed.
“While the Committee welcomes those measures announced by the Scottish Government to improve the situation, these are not enough to address the substantial gap that remains in the provision of mental health services, or to improve understanding of the help available.
“Therefore, we believe that the Government should work urgently with authorities to ensure that not only is there sufficient provision available at the local level, but that this is clearly communicated and easily accessible, both for young people and those they are turning to for help.
“The need for this work will only be increased by COVID-19, and its consequent impact on young people’s mental health.”
New Carers Trust Scotland survey shows pandemic’s dramatic impact on wider wellbeing of young carers in Scotland:
45% of young carers and 68% of young adult carers in Scotland say their mental health is worse as a result of Coronavirus.
71% of young carers and 85% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey were more worried about the future since coronavirus.
51% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey are spending more money due to coronavirus.
58% of young carers in Scotland who responded to the survey say their education is suffering as a result of Coronavirus.
42% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey say they are unable to take a break from caring as a result of Coronavirus.
“[Coronavirus] has made me more anxious, lost, unconnected, unsure and very sad that we can’t hug our dad, nanna, aunts/uncles, cousins and friends. Future so uncertain.” – 15-year-old female carer in Scotland
The results of a new Carers Trust Scotland survey, published yesterday, point to a steep decline in the mental health and wellbeing of young people across Scotland who provide unpaid care at home for family members or friends.
The survey is the first of its kind to provide a base of evidence for how worries relating to Coronavirus and increased isolation caused by the lockdown has affected the mental health and wellbeing of Scotland’s young people with caring responsibilities.
It is part of a larger Carers Trust survey of young carers from across the UK. Young carers aged 12 to 17 and young adult carers aged 18 to 25 responded to the survey.
Coronavirus increases caring hours and pressures on young carers
Even before the outbreak of Coronavirus, young carers and young adult carers were all too often spending significant amounts of time caring for a relative in addition to the time they needed to spend on education, work and time for themselves.
Coronavirus has significantly increased those pressures. The survey found that 10.6% of young carers in Scotland who responded to the survey said that they had seen the number of hours they spend caring per week increase by 30 hours.
A similar proportion of young adult carers reported the same increase in caring hours per week.
Most disturbing of all, 6.4% of young carers and 10.59% of young adult carers who responded to the survey, said that they are now spending over 90 hours a week caring for a family member or friend.
When asked what difference Coronavirus had made to them, 58% of young carers in Scotland said their education was suffering and 45% said their mental health had worsened. Asked the same question, 68% of young adult carers said their mental health had become worse and 42% said they had been unable to take a break from caring.
Responding to findings published today, Director of Scotland and Northern Ireland at Carers Trust, Louise Morgan, said:“This is the first snapshot of how Coronavirus is affecting thousands of young people with caring responsibilities across Scotland.
“And the results are extremely concerning. It’s clear that the pandemic has made what was already a very worrying picture for young carers in Scotland far, far worse. That’s why we are calling for more support and more services to ensure that young people with caring responsibilities get the support they need.”
Other key findings from the survey:
69% of young carers and 76% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey felt less able to stay in touch with friends since coronavirus.
74% of young carers and 73% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey said they are feeling less connected to others since coronavirus.
69% of young carers and 76% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey said they are feeling more stressedsince coronavirus.
59% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey are struggling to look after themselves.
56% of young adult carers in Scotland who responded to the survey are feeling overwhelmed by the pressures they are facing now.
See below a series of quotes from young carers and young adult carers in Scotland on how they have been affected by Coronavirus:
The voices of young carers in Scotland
All the responses below were given in response to the following question in the Carers Trust survey: “What difference has coronavirus made to your life as a young carer or young adult carer?”
“It’s made it harder. I don’t get any respite, no time away or family support.” 12-year-old female carer in Scotland
“Coronavirus has made it harder to get a break from my caring role and has made me feel more unsafe at home” 14 year-old-female carer in Scotland
“Has made me more anxious, lost, unconnected, unsure and very sad that we can’t hug our dad, nanna, aunts/uncles, cousins and friends. Future so uncertain.” 15-year-old female carer in Scotland
“I’m stressed with having to care and take care of myself as well as struggling to sleep” 17-year-old male carer in Scotland
“I feel as if it has made it more difficult to care for my father as I have been unable to take care of myself properly” 18-year-old male carer in Scotland
“The difference now is that I can’t get out of the house for a day and we can’t afford to do or get anything. We are just getting by with only making 80% of our wages. It’s a lot harder to keep on top of the rent and we spend more money on alcohol and cigarettes which makes it harder to afford electricity and some foods.
It’s harder to eat fresh and healthy because we can’t afford it at the moment. I have gained a lot of weight since lockdown and it really affects my mental health. Everyone in my household including myself are sick of constantly seeing each other and cabin fever is really bad as well.” – 19-year-old female carer in Scotland
“I have no help or support whatsoever now – I’m caring 24/7 and I’m exhausted and mentally drained. My young carers service is closing before lockdown ends so I now won’t have any support and I don’t know how I’m going to cope” 22-year-old female carer in Scotland
“It has made my caring role more pronounced/taken away other outlets of my life such as study. It has made me feel more isolated from my friends who don’t have caring responsibilities.” 24-year-old female carer in Scotland
Young people have a new and unusual TikTok challenge to get their teeth into during lockdown.
The #NoKnivesChallenge encourages young people to take their breakfast routine to a whole new level. The challenge is to butter a slice of toast with anything but a knife.
The No Knives Better Lives (NKBL) campaign is all about getting people to think about knife carrying, we may be in lockdown but the issue of knife crime has not gone away.
NKBL exists to reduce the incidence of knife carrying amongst young people by raising awareness of the potentially devastating risks and consequences associated with carrying a knife and promoting positive life choices. NKBL is a primary prevention, national initiative that is delivered at a local level across Scotland.
The TikTok ‘Butter your Toast’ challenge will run for a month and will be hosted on the YouthLink Scotland TikTok account (@YouthLinkScotland). Young people who create a #NoKnivesChallenge video will be in with a chance of winning a £50 Amazon voucher.
Emily Beever, National Co-ordinator for NKBL at YouthLink Scotland said: “Knife crime has significantly reduced in Scotland since 2009 but it is still crucial to talk to young people about knife carrying.
“Peer influence plays a significant role in preventing knife crime. The #NoKnivesChallenge uses humour to encourage young people to have a conversation with their friends and say, ‘Carrying a knife isn’t ok. Ever!’ We are excited to see the weird and wacky things young people are going to butter their toast with.”
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We have seen knife crime in Scotland fall drastically over the last decade and No Knives Better Lives has played a crucial role in this.
“We know however that there is still much more we can all do to reduce this further. The #NoKnivesChallenge will encourage young people from all over Scotland to highlight and talk about the consequences of carrying knife.
“I am looking forward to seeing what creative ideas everyone comes up with during this challenge.”
Young People and Knife Crime in Scotland
At its inception in 2009, No Knives, Better Lives was a response to the very high incidence of knife crime in Scotland and the corresponding high numbers of young people charged with handling an offensive weapon. This position has changed dramatically over the last decade.
Between 2008-09 and 2018-19, the number of violent crimes recorded by the police in Scotland has nearly halved (falling by 48%), while recorded crimes of handling an offensive weapon (where not used to commit another offence) have fallen by 53%.
The number of young people, under the age of 18, convicted of handling an offensive weapon has fallen by 83% (from 456 in 2008-09 to 80 in 2018-19).
The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey also shows a 48% fall between 2008-9 and 2018-19 in Violent Crime experienced by adults in Scotland, and that 11% of adults thought that people carrying knives was common in their area in 2018-19, down from 22% in 2009-10.
The general trend has been a large reduction in violent crime and weapons possession over the last decade. No Knives Better Lives attracted a lot of positive publicity for playing its part in helping to make Scotland a safer place for young people.
Over the ten-year period from 2008-09 to 2018-19, the number of crimes of handling an offensive weapon (where not used to commit another offence) recorded by the police in Glasgow City decreased by 65%.
About NKBL
No Knives, Better Lives (NKBL) is a national programme designed to deter young people from using and carrying a knife. It is a youth-work focused initiative supported by Scottish Government delivered by YouthLink Scotland in collaboration with local partners.
The aim of the initiative is to reduce the incidence of knife carrying amongst young people by raising awareness of the potentially devastating risks and consequences associated with carrying a knife and promoting positive life choices. NKBL is a primary prevention, national initiative that is delivered at a local level.
Since 2014 all Local Authorities have been able to access support from NKBL.
NKBL – How does it work?
There are two main strands to our prevention work with young people:
Working with partners in individual local authority areas in Scotland to support a strategic capacity building approach to prevention and to reach and train 100s of practitioners every year, who in turn deliver prevention work with tens of thousands of young people every year.
Communicating prevention messages to young people through social media and innovative engagement programmes
A “huge and concerning” college drop-out rate among adopted young people has led Adoption UK to call for governments in all four nations of the UK to rethink our education system.
