Cut Short: Fighting Against Knives in the North is a documentary made for schools and educators to give young people a non-judgmental, realistic insight into the causes and consequences of knife crime and youth violence.
It follows the stories of two individuals whose lives have been impacted irreversibly by knife crime; Sarah's son was murdered at 17 over a drug debt and Vilson went to prison as a teenager after using a knife in a gang altercation. They share their own experiences and speak to people with unique insight, including: an eye witness to Sarah's son's murder, a gang member disillusioned with the gang life, an ex-gang leader who used to groom new recruits into joining his gang and an ex-gang member who now helps young people stay off the streets through making music.
Alongside the film we've developed a thorough teaching package suitable for ages 12-18 to support educators through the lesson. The package contains:
- the full documentary, plus two bonus scenes
- suggested lesson plans
- factsheets and regional data for teachers to better understand the subject matter
- activities based around key scenes in the films
- worksheets and questionnaires for students
- advice on handling this subject matter and any safeguarding issues that may arise
- an original audiobook from Sarah that tells the story of her son's murder through a creative approach
Please share this link with other teachers, educators, pastoral support or youth workers so more young people can benefit from the resources.
