THE biggest concern for a number of young people in Harlow surveyed around youth violence is knife crime, with 27% young people stating this is the main issue that worries them.

Seventy-six young people from four local youth groups:  Church Langley Girl Guides; Harlow Youth Council; Rainbow Services and Essex Boys and Girls Club took part in the 2024 Listening Report, designed to help the Violence and Vulnerability Unit understand the concerns of young people in each local area.

The findings of the Listening Project help influence where funding and resources are directed in order to prevent serious youth violence and help young people and communities stay crime free. Previous listening projects have influenced the installation of CCTV, improved lighting and ambiance of “hotspot” areas, allowed funding of specific projects – sports clubs, self defence and detached youth work and provided targeted educational work with schools.

While knife crime is the main concern around youth violence from the Harlow youth sessions, 22% are worried about drugs and 22% are also concerned about gang crime.  In conversations about exploitation 58% of Harlow young people are worried about being exploited by a gang.

There were a range of things that made Harlow young people feel unsafe including poorly lit areas, drug dealing, fights, social media, unknown areas and gangs.

When asked what makes them feel safe, 88% of Harlow young people said they feel safe when out with friends in their local area (although not necessarily at night) and 26% said being with someone they know makes them feel safe. 

When asked what would help them feel safer, young people answered more police presence and more streetlighting. In conversations, the young people also expressed how sport has a positive impact on their safety which matches the top answer of what activities young people would like available for them, with Basildon young people declaring they’d like to see more free or affordable sports activities to take part in.

The full 2024 Listening Report can be found at  23-24 VVU listening report.pdf