Community and basketball in high-crime schools

Together with the Plymouth Raiders basketball team, we've been visiting high-crime schools to teach children about taking responsibility for their community. We've reached over 1,000 young people and seen a massive reduction in crime!

After identifying schools across Devon and Cornwall, which suffered from high crime rates and problems with anti-social behaviour during the school holidays, we formed an idea for a campaign.

Together with the teachers of the worst-affected schools, we found that using role models would be a great way to help young people tackle their problems, promote Crimestoppers and encourage drug-free and healthy lifestyles.

Working closely with the Plymouth Raiders basketball team, local Youth Intervention Officers, Neighbourhood Beat Managers and Police Community Support Officers, we developed a programme for the schools to inspire the children and provide a platform for a concrete message.

The theme was 'community' and how individuals are responsible for this. Presentations were given about Crimestoppers and how young people can call Crimestoppers' anonymous phone number, 0800 555 111, if they have information about crime, but don't want anybody to know. The Plymouth Raiders basketball team - our local heroes - visited the schools with us, chatted with the children and offered them basketball coaching.

Over 1,000 young people attended the presentations and the success was massive. Crime has been reduced to practically zero in these schools, plus the children have found some new friends and mentors in the Plymouth Raiders!