VIRTUAL reality is playing its part in fighting knife crime in Warwickshire.
Schools, colleges and youth clubs across the county have praised VR sessions highlighting the real-life consequences of carrying a knife.
The ‘Virtual Decisions: Knives’ sessions have been delivered to over 2,000 young people countywide by trained council staff and members of Warwickshire Police.
The sessions, which include a ten-minute VR experience and real-life workshop, help young people explore the reasons for and potential consequences of carrying a knife, and are funded by Home Office Serious Violence Duty funding and supported by the Safer Warwickshire Partnership Board.
‘Virtual Decisions: Knives’ places participants in the role of a young person making choices that lead to various outcomes, including potential arrest for possessing a blade.
The VR experience is followed by a workshop to unpack themes and discuss outcomes. Topics include peer pressure, social media, loyalty, ‘snitching’, knife laws, the reasons for carrying a knife, consequences, and community impact.
Schools, colleges, youth clubs and other education providers have praised the sessions for being ‘well-targeted’ and ‘a breath of fresh air’.
Warwickshire County Council’s communities spokesperson Mark Ryder said: “It’s fantastic that over two thousand young people in Warwickshire have participated in these innovative knife crime awareness sessions to date, and that we’ve received great feedback.
“We’ve used Home Office funding to target the serious issue of knife crime in Warwickshire, collaborating with schools, colleges, youth clubs, and young people to try to prevent it for everyone’s benefit.
“We are looking to commit some of this year’s Serious Violence funding allocation to continue the VR sessions across the county.”
Inspector Ryan Walker from Warwickshire Police added: “These sessions play a vital part in helping children understand the consequences of carrying a knife. Unfortunately, we continue to see these consequences in Warwickshire and across the country.”
