Thousands of young people taking part in over 100 Kickz projects across the country will be pledging their support to a Government campaign to tackle knife crime, entitled: It Doesn’t Have to Happen. The power and influence of professional football brands in young peoples’ lives will be harnessed to positively convey the tough message, urging young people not to carry knives.
It Doesn’t Have to Happen was conceived by the Home Office and developed by young people. It aims to give young people an understanding of the consequences of knife crime, encouraging them to ‘say no to knives’ and have a positive influence on each other. Peer-to peer messaging is an important part of the campaign which has a dedicated website on the social networking site Bebo: www.itdoesnthavetohappen.co.uk
The Kickz programme, backed by the Football Foundation, Premier League, Metropolitan Police and other forces around the country, will initially raise awareness of the campaign via twelve high profile regional tournaments, starting at the Blackburn Rovers Academy. 12-16 year olds from cities across the country will pull on professional clubs strips and represent their local communities in a national competition, culminating in finals at Derby County’s Pride Park and Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.
