More than 1,700 young people have ‘opened up’ about serious violence, discussing issues such as knife crime, drugs, youth violence, and gang activity in one of the largest consultations of its kind across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston funded the Youth Listening Project, involving young people aged from 11 to 18 from six secondary schools across the county.

As part of the project, more than 1,700 young people responded to a digital survey on safety concerns, while focus groups and interviews provided groups the opportunity to share their views about and experiences of serious violence and other associated criminality.

The research provides insights into how young people feel in their communities currently, what local provision is specifically available for young people and what needs to be improved.

It comes after police and crime commissioners across England and Wales were handed more responsibility to work with partners to tackle serious violence.

The Serious Violence Duty, introduced in January 2023 as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, compels organisations to work together, share data, and develop evidence-based solutions to address, prevent and reduce serious violence.

Findings from the youth listening project will now inform the way the Serious Violence Duty is implemented locally and the future provision that will be funded as part of the Duty to help prevent exposure to and reduce involvement in serious violence. This will enable young people to become more engaged, thriving members of society.

Key findings include:

Across Cambridgeshire, most young people said they felt safe in their communities during the day, however, feelings of safety reduced during hours of darkness.

Young people that had safety concerns in their communities were most worried about drug supply and knife crime, followed by gang activity and youth violence.

Young people often stated that they felt youth provision was ‘lacking’ or ‘poor’ in their local area. Comments such as ‘there are places to go, but they are not directly for us’ and ‘at my age everything costs money and there is nowhere to hang out’ provide context to the findings.

Commenting on the findings, Mr Preston said: “Young people are the adults of tomorrow. It’s imperative we listen to their experiences and involve them in the solutions.

“This is one of the largest studies to date on young people’s perceptions of crime and safety in Cambridgeshire. It generated a huge response and I’ve been privileged to hear some of these experiences first hand during my visits to schools.

“Whilst our county is fortunate not to suffer the same levels of violence as some other areas, knife crime and gang violence clearly have a negative effect on young people’s confidence and perceptions of safety, and this is something we absolutely must address with our partners.

"I would like to thank all the young people who took part in this project, your feedback will help shape future preventative work in tackling these issues.”

The PCC commissioned youth support organisation Inclusive Development to design the youth engagement project.

His Youth Fund, a dedicated fund increasing opportunities for young people to excel and gain new skills and confidence, has supported no fewer than 41 projects worth more than £112k in the past 12 months alone.

"Grants of up to £3,500 are available to support young people aged between five and 18 or up to 25 years old for those with Special Educational Needs or disabilities."