Schools join Step Together initiative to protect pupils from street violence

BirminghamWorld joins First Class Foundation on their initiative to protect pupils before and after school in Aston, Lozells, Hockley and the Jewellery Quarter
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Funding for youth services has been cut by around 82% since 2010, which many argue has had an effect of youth violence. Last year saw an average of 590 incidents per month, which spiralled to 792 incidents in May.

With tragic cases like the murder of Keon Lincoln filling the headlines, who was murdered by five youths, including a 14 year old gunman, questions are raised as to what leads young people towards violent lifestyles.

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Birmingham-based youth charity First Class Foundation have launched their initiative Step Together, which aims to mitigate the risk of violence amongst city youth by chaperoning them to and from school. Holt School in Lozells, Jewellery Quarter Academy, Aston Manor School and Nishkam High School in Hockley are currently taking part in the programme.

Keon Lincoln was murdered by four teens.Keon Lincoln was murdered by four teens.
Keon Lincoln was murdered by four teens.

Sabrina Dennis, Chief Executive Officer of First Class Foundation says: “The Step Together Programme is where we’ve got our chaperones, our street team on the street, outside schools, on key routes. And that’s really because the area that we’re in is kind of known for youth violence, gang activity. And there’s an element of fear and just not feeling safe going into and from school.”

First Class Foundation, Step Together 2First Class Foundation, Step Together 2
First Class Foundation, Step Together 2

Antonio Henry, Leader of the Step Together Programme, says: “So we have been commissioned to basically support the schools, before school and after school to basically reduce violence - reduce youth violence in the area, support the young people, encourage them and basically make sure they get home safely.”

When asked about the causes of youth violence he says: “There’s a lot of reasons a lot of different reason from a society standpoint, from a systemic standpoint - their surroundings play a big part on it, their friend circles. It’s hard to even name one of them, because literally it’s on so many different levels naming one you will then begin to forget the others that are happening to them.

Sabrina Dennis, Chief Executive Officer of First Class Foundation Sabrina Dennis, Chief Executive Officer of First Class Foundation
Sabrina Dennis, Chief Executive Officer of First Class Foundation
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“I personally feel what needs to be done is one - having enough opportunities for young people to connect them but also having the connectors of the people to the opportunities.

“Most of these youth don’t know that there is job roles, don’t have access to these job roles. So we could be certain people that give them a reference or give them work experience for a bit.

“So we need to start putting ourselves around positions where we have more voices with tables bigger than ours. If that makes sense. Then we can actually start putting the positions back to community”

Antonio Dennis, Leader of the Step Together ProgrammeAntonio Dennis, Leader of the Step Together Programme
Antonio Dennis, Leader of the Step Together Programme

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