BEYOND THE BLADE
Quinton Green, 44, from the Midlands, has turned his own experience into a living message that we need to do more to support young people…
Putting pen to paper, I knew performance poetry could allow me to say what was on my mind.
Have we ever stopped to ask that boy that carries a knife what he wants to be when he’s older?
Being a victim of knife crime myself, stabbed seven times when I was 17, whilst being in and out of trouble with the police, I wanted something for young people to relate to.
Publishing my finished poem, Knife Sentence, it seemed to create a stir instantly.
‘Your poem shows that you have a deep understanding of the issue in hand,’ the local police force commented.
Victims of knife crime had even reached out to me – my thoughts were touching hearts and minds.
Shying away from the problem wasn’t going to help anyone, so using myself as an example of change and bridging the needed gap, I set up Knife Crime Victim Support in January 2019.
A place to support those in the community who had been affected by knife crime, gun crime, gang activity and serious violence.
As well as offering an intervention, too.
Using music in particular, as well as mentoring, arts and poetry (MMAP Workshops) to encourage young people to express their concerns.
If they knew that they were being heard, valued, and cared for, this new sense of belonging could in turn, help prevent an adverse chain of events.
The support group allows everyone, no matter their background to get involved.
However, for me it is important that the sessions also offer support with mental health and wellbeing.
I am not there to lecture, but to listen and offer a brighter future for every individual.
Since starting, I have joined forces with national police forces, primary and secondary schools, to educate others on knife crime.
Schools might believe that there is no crime there at the moment but sitting in the assembly hall could be future gang members, people flirting with trouble, future police officers, and even just members of the community that need to be aware of such issues. ‘Who here thinks it’s OK to stab someone in a safe place?’ I boomed across the classroom. And a few innocent hands were raised in response. ‘Let’s correct that behaviour, the lesson is to not carry a weapon at all,’ I replied, letting the children know that informed decisions are crucial. Working with individuals that have thought about picking up a knife, it’s essential to stress that hope is needed. There will always be something else out there for a young person, and they mustn’t let crime be their fate.
It’s important to remember that someone who commits such a crime hasn’t just woken up one day and done the worse.
And until you peel back the layers and find out more, you might never know what someone is going through.
Crime is never an option, so my support groups create an early intervention. It’s amazing to know that there has been a shift in productivity in Northamptionshire, as county councils and youth organisations are coming together, with me, to address the issue collectively.
Jordan Oliver, 24, the Midlands, says:
‘I sadly lost my friend to knife crime and Quinton has really helped me to have a local support network.
My focus is creating music with Aspire in Arts and spreading anti-knife crime messages. I have been led in the right direction, to becom a youth worker.
You can tell when someone has a job for money versus someone who wants to make a difference, and Quinton does exactly that.’
● To find out more visit: Facebook – Knife Crime Victim Support