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27.06.2007

Project:Consider, a video produced by London Members of the UK Youth Parliament, has won a major national award. The video, which focuses on knife and gun crime, won the ‘Best Broadcast Produced By Young People For Young People’ in the Young People Now Positive Images awards.

Thirty members and deputy members of the UK Youth Parliament were trained in film and editing skills in order to produce the DVD, which began filming in April 2006. Funding for the project was provided by the Metropolitan Police Service, with wider support provided by a steering group including representatives from various local authorities, and other voluntary organisations such as the Damilola Taylor Trust.

Aamirah Patel, 2006 Member of Youth Parliament for Redbridge, said, “Winning this award shows that we can do something as youth and show other people we can create something that has an impact.”

Project:Consider includes interviews with young people who have carried and used weapons, young victims and family members. It does not preach the anti-gun and knife message but simply informs.

Many educational resources just tell young people not to do something, but this anti-gun and knife crime DVD asks young people to consider what might happen if they do carry a weapon.

Young people helped with every stage of the process to ensure the project was youth-led. A launch event was held in October 2006 and excerpts were shown on BBC News 24 in December.

A series of training events is planned for this year to encourage youth professionals in London to use the film in their work with young people.

Judging panel member Becki Tomkins said: "The DVD kept it real. This is an issue that needs publicising and the film does it by advising, not lecturing."

Collecting the award on behalf of the organisation, board member Ashley Sweetland said, “It remains a real focus of UKYP to discuss the most challenging issues that face young people. The young people involved in Project:Consider have demonstrated an enormous commitment to addressing the problem of knife and gun crime, and it is a tremendous privilege that I collect this on their behalf today. From all of us at UKYP, thank you for recognising Project Consider and the work of UKYP”. 

To view the video, visit: http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/ukyp_tv/pages/projectconsider.html. 

For further details, please contact UKYP on 020 7843 6341.

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