'Some young people even handed weapons in. The impact was there'
Play helping tackle the surge in city knife crime and youth violence is de-funded
Steve Small is nonplussed. The theatre director and producer has been working with young people in Scotland’s Capital for 25 years, using the power of drama and language to help them navigate the complex problems they face in their lives.
In particular, he fears that in the fight against Edinburgh’s growing knife crime problem and youth violence there is a danger that the ongoing funding crisis is costing society one of the most powerful and effective weapons in its arsenal.
Edinburgh Integration Joint Board – the city council and NHS Lothian organisation which delivers the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership – has seen its acute funding crisis force delivery of extensive cuts.
These cuts have often fallen on organisations that the EIJB has previously worked with extensively and valued greatly.
Among the smallest, but perhaps deepest, of these cuts has been the complete de-funding of the previously agreed work of Leith-based charity Strange Town Theatre, which Steven heads, within our schools. It was entitled “The Future is Unwritten” and already three plays have been toured and seen by thousands of pupils, and also through public performances.
One of the key components of that work was specially commissioned play, Balisong, designed to raise awareness of the danger of knife carrying and crime amongst school pupils in the city, and this had been earmarked for the next round of the programme. Now cancelled.
“Some even handed weapons in”
But in its previous performances in schools in 2017 and then in 2018/19 it struck home after being toured to schools in the Capital and beyond, where it was seen by around 40,000 young people who then opened up to teachers, and engaged in meaningful dialogue about the part knives play in their lives. Steven said: “Some even handed weapons in.”
During its first run, it received the official Scottish Government stamp or approval after then Justice Secretary Michael Matheson attended a performance of The Balisong at Ardrossan Academy, then said: “Some young people previously indicated they would not tell anyone if someone they knew was in possession of a knife. What I witnessed, and what I’m told is taking place in other schools, is the instant behaviour change The Balisong delivers.”
