Peer mentoring plan targets teens at risk of turning violent

London: Teenagers at risk of turning to knife crime will be targeted with radical "peer mentoring" programmes under a government-backed drive.

A key recommendation in the Standard's Beat Knife Crime campaign, peer mentoring involves training young people in how to help other teenagers avoid violence and resolve conflict.

Now a minister have announced a £30-million (Dh228 million) fund for the next three years to support projects that combat the growing scourge of gang crime and anti-social behaviour. The announcement follows the launch yesterday of the Government's youth crime action plan and comes amid widespread alarm at the spate of teenage murders in the capital.

Leap Confronting Conflict, a group which has been running peer support schemes to tackle violent youth culture in London, has received government cash in the past and was highlighted for its work again yesterday.

Youth crime

Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said charities such as Leap "play a crucial role in reaching the most disaffected young people in some of the most challenging communities". Hughes said she wanted the funding to focus on preventing youth crime and urged other groups to apply for the cash.

"Today's announcement is a great opportunity for ambitious organisations to benefit from a package of financial and business support, to enable them to help even more vulnerable young people and, critically, help these unique organisations achieve long-term sustainability," she said. " We expect to fund a wide range of organisations whose work focuses on our current youth priorities, particularly but not exclusively those that offer services to young people who are at risk of becoming involved in crime."

The fund will give up to 12 organisations about £2.5 million each for projects to tackle anti-social behaviour, gun or gang crime.

- Evening Standard