Childline uses young people as content providers and campaign informants

Childline have produced a similar campaign to our 'confidence' strand - young people as content providers and trying to inspire them to use their talent. It's being led by Idea and has presence on Habbo, bebo and piczo.

http://www.idea.me.uk/

The site looks friendly and approachable, it's easy to use and is very focused on using kids creativity. It's quite twee however, indicating a younger audience and a very different one to our streetwise knife crime target.

The bebo page is a bit 'harder' in appearance, but mentions Childline's new 'creative agency' which detracts from the young person-to-young person feel they're clearly trying to foster. They only have 4 friends and there's a comment at the bottom of the page about it looking a bit lame.

http://skin.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=8600622623

Inspiring young people to get creative

Childline has launched a myspace page to enlist young people to star in the idents for their upcoming Dubplate drama (second series).

Featuring several high-profile music stars and media partners C4 and MTVBase, the page has friends sign-up facility, video clips and info on 'Spit it Out' - the name they've given to their campaign.

http://www.myspace.com/dubplatedrama2

Boy dies after double stabbing in South London

4 men have been arrested after two teenage boys were stabbed in a park in Lambeth.

One boy was dead by the time the emergency services arrived, bringing the total number of child victims of knife crime this year in London to 5.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8021882.stm

Reported 120% increase in child knife crime in London

The Standard has reported that over the past 4 years in London there has been an increase in the number of child knife crimes of a staggering 120%.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23668568-details/120+rise+in+child+knife+attack+victims+at+A+Es/article.do

The report criticises official figures which Jacqui Smith claimed showed a drop.

VAW and Closer magazine

VAW have teamed up with popular women's weekly Closer to further the reach of the public consultation:

http://promo.bauermedia.co.uk/vaw/Closer.htm

End Violence Against Women coalition

check out this site - it's a coalition of people and organisations, however the contact e-mail looks as though it's affiliated with Amnesty International:

http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/

Roadshow to raise awareness of VAW launched today

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news2/Domestic-violence-awareness-roadshow-in.5179801.jp

Home Office criticised for choice of expert (VAW)

The Telegraph has criticised Jacqui Smith for her choice of psychological consultant for Violence Against Women.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/milo_yiannopoulos/blog/2009/03/27/jacqui_smith_ropes_in_a_very_serious_academic_to_address_violence_against_women_and_children

Guardian attacks British Justice system on rape issue

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/15/rape-convictions-sexual-assault-cps-law

Teen views

Teenagers give their views in the Daily Mail - very skewed towards middle-class teens but some mature attitudes...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1168646/Binge-drinking-underage-sex-drugs-thoughts-suicide-Inside-secret-life-teenage-girls.html

Shocking knife attack on children in Doncaster

The papers this morning have been filled with reports of an attack on two young boys in Doncaster. The boys were mugged for around £3 cash, their trainers and mobile phones. The boys were found slashed, burned and robbed - and in deep shock.

One boy is reportedly fighting for his life after sustaining terrible head injuries during the attack, where a brick was reportedly used to beat the boy over the head.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7984963.stm

The area is a former mining town and the attacks happened at the site of an abandoned pit. The quarry has attracted negative activity such as dumping, illegal motorbike riding and off-road drivers.

There has been speculation that the attacks may have been gang-related.