The challenges facing young people today are complex, urgent, and interconnected. Rising knife crime, online exploitation, mental health struggles, and social pressures create an environment where safety is not guaranteed. Across the North West—and the UK as a whole—schools, police forces, councils, and charities work tirelessly to protect and guide young people. But without a central, shared platform, these efforts risk remaining fragmented.
Youth Safety Matters is committed to changing that—by becoming the one integrated resource that brings all stakeholders together. With the backing of the business community, we can reshape how society approaches youth safety, ensuring that every young person has the knowledge, tools, and support network they need to thrive.
Our vision is simple: unite the expertise, experience, and energy of all those who have a role in keeping young people safe. That includes:
Local government initiatives like the Greater Manchester and Merseyside Violence Reduction Units.
Police-led programmes such as Operation Venture and the Sceptre Initiative.
Educational leaders who integrate safety into the classroom and pastoral care.
Youth charities and grassroots organisations such as StreetDoctors, 42nd Street, The Message Trust, Catch22, and Streetlife.
By giving these organisations a shared space to publish, collaborate, and access resources, Youth Safety Matters will remove the barriers that often keep vital information siloed.
Transforming Youth Safety Matters into the central hub for youth safety will take investment, innovation, and infrastructure—areas where the business community can make a game-changing impact.
Business involvement means:
Funding the platform so content remains free and accessible to every school, youth club, and frontline worker.
Providing technology and expertise to improve our digital reach, security, and user experience.
Offering mentorship and opportunities that can inspire young people away from crime and towards positive futures.
Championing the cause publicly, using corporate networks to amplify the urgency of youth safety.
A safer society is good for everyone—businesses included. A community where young people feel secure is a community that attracts investment, grows sustainably, and nurtures the next generation of workers, leaders, and innovators.
We believe Youth Safety Matters can help shift the public conversation from reactive responses to proactive prevention. Through content that is credible, consistent, and accessible to all, we can:
Standardise safety messages so young people hear the same guidance whether they are in school, at a youth club, or talking to a police officer.
Promote best practice by showcasing what works—real case studies of collaboration and positive change.
Highlight emerging risks so organisations can respond before problems escalate.
Give young people a voice through stories, art, and peer-to-peer advice—making them part of the solution, not just the focus of concern.
The idea of a unified youth safety resource isn’t just a dream—it’s a necessity. By integrating the knowledge and work of councils, police, educators, and charities, Youth Safety Matters will become the backbone of a safer future. Imagine a headteacher in Blackpool, a youth worker in Salford, and a police officer in Liverpool all drawing on the same up-to-date resources, sharing success stories, and referring to the same evidence base. That’s the level of alignment we’re aiming for.
We stand at a crossroads. The need is urgent, the solutions are known, and the willingness to act is there. What’s missing is the single, powerful platform to bring it all together—and the investment to make it happen.
With the support of forward-thinking businesses, Youth Safety Matters will not just document the fight for youth safety—it will lead it. Together, we can create a legacy where young people are empowered, communities are connected, and society sees safeguarding not as an obligation, but as a shared value.
The future can be safer, stronger, and brighter. And it starts here.
