Category: News

Funded by the Youth Partnership Service in an inspiring partnership with British Ironworks, Luton Council, Luton Rising, Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation, Mary Seacole and Wingman Mentors. This initiative is taking place in the months of June – August 2024. Designed to raise awareness about knife crime among the youth of Luton, this project offers a creative platform for young people to express their views and make their voices heard. Raising Awareness Through Education Wingman Mentors are leading the charge with impactful interventions in local schools. They educate young people about knife crime’s dangers and consequences through dynamic assemblies and workshops. These sessions are more than informational—they are designed to ignite meaningful discussions and empower students to become advocates for change in their communities. A Creative Competition with a Purpose Artful Voices is more than an educational campaign; it’s a call to action for Luton’s youth. The initiative invites young people to participate in a creative competition, encouraging them to express their thoughts and feelings about knife crime through various art forms. This competition allows for powerful and diverse expressions, whether this is through poetry, rap, spoken word, or music. The competition is divided into two age groups, with a £500 prize voucher for the winner and runner-up prizes in each group. The most compelling work will have the unique opportunity to be featured on the Knife Angel via augmented reality (AR), bringing its message to a wider audience in a cutting-edge format. Showcasing Talent at the Hat Factory The journey doesn’t end with the competition. Mary Seacole Housing will host an exhibition showcasing all the entries, at the Hat Factory. There is a special presentation on 23rd July. The public can view the exhibition from 24th to 25th July, providing a platform for these young voices to be heard and appreciated by the wider community.  The Knife Angel Comes to Luton A significant highlight of this initiative is the arrival of the Knife Angel statue, a powerful symbol created by the British Ironworks Centre to raise awareness about knife crime. The statue will be displayed in St George’s Square, Luton, with a civic opening ceremony on 3rd August 2024. This iconic piece will serve as a poignant reminder of the impact of knife crime and the importance of initiatives like Artful Voices in combating this issue. Community Engagement and Solutions The Youth Partnership Service is committed to continuing the conversation and finding solutions to knife crime in Luton. By hosting community interventions and solutions, they aim to create a safer environment for the young people of Luton, ensuring that the voices heard through Artful Voices lead to real change.

The Youth Partnership Service is excited to announce that we will be coordinating the under-18 volunteers for BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend! Known as the Young Festival Makers, young people will be able to volunteer for a day to support visitors to the town and help pride an electric buzz on the way to Stockwood Park! Interested in getting involved with Big Weekend? We are lucky enough to be co-ordinating the Young Festival Makers! Those 14 and above can email youth@luton.gov.uk to register your interest! Training will be provided!

Created in partnership with children and young people this consequences card has useable interactive features whereby children and young people can get access to help and information. Scan the QR code for the augmented reality video or go directly to the Tap Out app download page to interact with scenarios developed and co-produced by children and young people in Luton. This interactive app also has a chat helpline feature which young people can ask for help anonymously or not and this is linked to an outreach service so if you need help or information to help you, it is there for you. There is also a mobile telephone line to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) if you need help. This isn’t just a consequence card, it has some real time access to help and advice for children and young people who don’t know where to turn if they need help.

Congratulations to Zoubair Aouam and Moeez Amjad, who were Winner and Runner Up respectively, of the Young Achiever Luton’s Best Awards at a special ceremony at Luton Hoo on Friday. Both are proud members of the Luton Youth Council and show the positive changes young people make to their local community. Here are some pictures from the ceremony, where Youth Voice and Participation Co-ordinator Louise was invited to attend to represent Youth Partnership Service and Luton Youth Council, alongside the Mayor and other representatives from Luton Services.