Website launched to tackle knife crime ‘does not speak to young people’

A GOVERNMENT knife crime prevention website aimed at educating young people about of the dangers of knives does not “speak to young people” and has no real practical value.

Dr Tony Bates, founding director of Headstrong, a mental health support network for young people, said he was surprised to see that Headstrong was listed as a link to How Big Do You Feel, launched by the Garda and Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern earlier this year. He said he had last night requested his organisation be removed as an affiliate to it, as it was “not very helpful” and naive.

“It is a very empty website and doesn’t seem to do anything or give any information. Telling a young person to go to the Garda if they see someone with a knife is not going to happen. This is not youth-friendly.”