We believe that every young person can create the life they want, free from violence. We aim to reduce violent crime, intervening early with vulnerable, high-risk young people, preventing them from becoming victims or perpetrators of violent crime, & enabling lasting positive change for their communities.
What we do
We embed creative spaces in London’s most isolated communities, co-designed with young people, that build on their strengths & create opportunity. In these spaces their team of creative, highly skilled professionals provide skills training, mentoring & specialist long-term support. These safe spaces create opportunities for young people to build long term trusted relationships, enabling them to share their experiences & take the lead of their own solutions.
We work directly with young people as well as the institutional ecosystem around them, building their resilience & capabilities, & empowering them to change not only their circumstances but also the systems that make them vulnerable.
Who we work with
We support young people (aged 12- 25) at risk of violent crime.
These young people face multiple barriers to feeling safe & reaching their full potential. Their situations are characterised by poverty, complex home lives & a discriminatory education system, & being witness to or experiencing abuse, including child sexual or criminal abuse. These adverse childhood experiences lead to low-self-esteem, emotional stress, mental health issues, involvement in violence, substance misuse, violent or sexually harmful behaviour & trauma of victimisation.
Our Story
Art Against Knives was born from the unprovoked stabbing of Oliver Hemsley, a 21-year-old student from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in 2008, which left him in a wheelchair. In 2011, Oliver’s friend Katy Dawe established the charity on the premise that young people should be put in the lead of creating their own positive futures.
Our Impact
To date we have supported over 1,500 young people aged 10-25, across London.
Our work is rooted in the latest and most progressive evidence-based thinking around safeguarding young people, within a framework informed by trauma science & psychology.
Our impact has gone beyond direct support; we now form a critical link between young people & the networks around them, amplifying their voices to drive long-term systemic change.
